Empire Offshore Wind selects giant 15 MW Vestas turbines for two NY wind farms

Written by Nick Blenkey
Vestas wind turbines

Image: Vestas Wind Systems A/S

Empire Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Equinor and BP, has selected Vestas as its preferred supplier for wind turbine generators for both the Empire Wind I and Empire Wind II wind farms, located 15-30 miles off the coast of Long Island. The deal would see Vestas deliver 138 V236-15 MW wind turbine generators with a total generating capacity of around 2GW—for the two Empire Wind developments. Each rotation of a 15 MW turbine will be capable of powering a New York home for about 1.5 days.

“We are delighted to select our preferred supplier for what will be the largest contract in the Empire Wind project.” says Arne Sigve Nylund, executive vice president for projects, drilling and procurement at Equinor. “The turbines have the highest rated capacity available in the market today, which is a great fit for the high ambitions we have in this project. We have chosen the technology which will provide the best value for Empire Wind from the world’s largest turbine manufacturer. This is state of the art technology moving the boundaries of wind energy production.”

“The selection of a preferred turbine supplier for New York State’s Empire Wind I and Empire Wind II offshore wind projects is providing a clear signal that the advancement of New York’s nation-leading 9 gigawatts goal of offshore wind by 2035 is on pace to deliver clean energy for New Yorkers,” said Doreen M. Harris, president and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). “Through the utilization of New York’s various ports, these types of partnerships will tap into local companies and manufacturing to further establish New York as the hub for the nation’s offshore wind industry.”

“We are honored to partner with Equinor and BP as preferred supplier for the Empire wind projects and provide our V236-15.0 MW turbine to help New York achieve its ambitious offshore wind energy goals,” said Laura Beane, President of Vestas North America. “To be part of a landmark project like Empire Wind 1 and 2 is a testament to the hard work of Vestas colleagues across the world dedicated to developing offshore technology capable of delivering, reliable, resilient, and sustainable wind energy to communities around the world”

The tower sections for Empire Wind 1 and 2 are planned to be sourced from the Marmen/Welcon plant, which is being developed in the Port of Albany, N.Y. For staging of turbine components, Vestas will utilize the upgraded port at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, developing a local, New York-based, supply chain to provide a comprehensive set of services in the staging, pre-assembly and installation activities.

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