Equinor Bags Largest Ever US Offshore Wind Award

Equinor (NYSE: EQNR) revealed Wednesday that it has been selected to provide New York State with offshore wind power in what is being described as one of the largest renewable energy procurements in the U.S. to date.

Under the award, Equinor and incoming strategic partner BP will provide generation capacity of 1,260 megawatts (MW) of renewable offshore wind power from Empire Wind 2, and another 1,230 MW of power from Beacon Wind 1 – adding to the existing commitment to provide New York with 816 MW of renewable power from Empire Wind 1.

The execution of the procurement award is subject to the successful negotiation of a purchase and sale agreement, which the partnership will finalize with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). As part of the award by NYSERDA, the companies will partner with the State to transform two New York ports – the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) and the Port of Albany – into large-scale offshore wind working industrial facilities.

“These projects will deliver homegrown, renewable electricity to New York and play a major role in the State’s ambitions of becoming a global offshore wind hub,” Equinor CEO Anders Opedal said in a company statement.

“The U.S. East Coast is one of the most attractive growth markets for offshore wind in the world. The successful bids for Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind 1 represent a game-changer for our offshore wind business in the U.S. and underline Equinor’s commitment to be a leading company in the energy transition,” he added.

“These projects will also create value through economies of scale and support our strategic ambition of becoming a global offshore wind major,” Opedal continued.

Siri Espedal Kindem, the president of Equinor Wind U.S., said, “together, Equinor and the State of New York will create a robust offshore wind supply chain capable of manufacturing, assembling, and staging these projects at scale”.

“As Equinor works to expand its renewable energy presence across the United States and the globe, New York’s leadership clearly illustrates the transformative benefits of offshore wind on climate goals and economic activity alike,” Kindem added.

“We are looking forward to developing Empire Wind and Beacon Wind together with local authorities, communities and our incoming partner bp in growing this new industry,” Kindem continued.

Equinor currently conducts wind operations in the U.S., the UK, Poland and Norway, according to its website. The company has an ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com