New York City Plans 15-Year $191M Investment for Wind Infrastructure
New York City is planning an ambitious 15-year, $191 million Offshore Wind Vision (OSW) program designed to make the region a leading destination for the offshore wind industry. The program aims to create 13,000 jobs and generate $1.3 billion in average annual investment while helping the city meet its goal of 100-percent clean electricity by 2040 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
Under the plan detailed by Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), New York City will make commitments focused on three core areas: sites and infrastructure, business and workforce, and research and innovation. The city will work to develop best-in-class infrastructure that will support the construction and operation of offshore wind farms. The plan outlines how the city will expand its manufacturing sector to build, stage, and install wind turbines, and ensure they can be serviced and powered locally.
The plan also commits the city to developing public-private partnerships with communities to create good-paying, green jobs in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The city will focus on targeted investments to develop workforce training and support businesses that seek to create a diverse talent pool in offshore wind. The plan further aims to support Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) and other local companies in accessing over $70 billion expected to be created by the offshore wind industry.
Lastly, the city will work to promote research and innovation in offshore wind so new technologies and approaches are created in New York City. NYCEDC will work with the offshore wind industry and partners to launch an accelerator that will allow New York-based startups to build out the next generation of offshore wind technologies to support worldwide growth and advancement in the field.
“When we talk about a green economy we are really talking about reliance on renewable energy and the jobs of the future coming together,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Rachel Loeb “We are proud to bring this vision to New York – to help meet our long-term sustainability goals and grow a new industry.”
The OSW Vision Plan anticipates attracting additional federal, state, and private investments to drive industry growth. To help ensure progress is made, NYCEDC will establish an Offshore Wind Industry Advisory Council. The council will be made up of experts from the industry, government officials, community, business, and nonprofit leaders with relevant expertise and experience.
“Offshore wind power can create a windfall for New York City’s economy and put us on a path to meet our climate goals,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “We have the infrastructure in place to create wind manufacturing hubs right here in Brooklyn, such as South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the Red Hook Container Terminal. With demand growing across the Eastern seaboard, now is the time to invest in this industry and make our city a national leader in wind power.”
It is not the first effort to propose using the infrastructure in Brooklyn to create a hub for the development of the offshore wind energy sector. In pursuing its efforts, New York City will be competing against other regions that are also seeking to participate in the development. Earlier in September, construction work began on the U.S.’s first purpose-built wind port designed to support the offshore wind industry development. To be located along the Delaware River in southern New Jersey, the project known as the New Jersey Wind Port is designed to provide a location for staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind projects on the East Coast.