Ørsted Offshore North America, which is teaming up with Public Service Enterprise Group to build New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm, announced Thursday that David Hardy has been named the new CEO of Ørsted Offshore North America.
Hardy, the current president and chief operating officer, replaces Thomas Brostrøm, who is leaving to pursue other energy opportunities in Europe. It is an amiable parting.
Hardy, a U.S. citizen, military veteran and industry expert, will head the North American offshore wind energy business of the Denmark-based company, recognized as the world-leading offshore wind developer.
Hardy will oversee all North American offshore wind activities, including development and operations for Ørsted’s current and future portfolio of U.S. projects, including Ocean Wind, an offshore wind energy project proposed by Ørsted with support from PSEG — an 1,100 megawatt offshore wind farm that will power more than half a million New Jersey homes.
Located 15 miles of the coast of southern New Jersey, Ocean Wind will contribute significantly to Gov. Phil Murphy’s ambitious renewable energy goal of supplying more than 3.2 million New Jersey homes with offshore wind power by 2035.
Martin Neubert, CEO of Ørsted Offshore Wind, said the company is grateful for Brostrøm’s efforts, while thrilled to be elevating Hardy to the top spot.
“I thank Thomas for all of his efforts and accomplishments, and we look forward to building upon his success,” Neubert said. “David’s strong commercial experience and deep knowledge of the wind power industry will be a huge asset for Ørsted, and for an industry that is poised to become a dominant source of energy for millions of Americans.
“His leadership comes at a time when the U.S. is looking to renewable energy to help drive job creation, economic growth, and solutions to minimize the impacts of climate change.”
Prior to joining Ørsted, Hardy held U.S. and global senior executive roles in the wind energy industry, working in leadership positions at both Senvion and Vestas. He also spent a large portion of his career at GE in commercial leadership positions, as well as roles at other high-tech industrial companies. Additionally, he served for more than eight years in the U.S. Navy submarine community.
Hardy said he is eager to jump into the role — a transition that already has occurred — to take on the opportunities it presents.
“I’ve long recognized the potential of offshore wind to transform our country’s energy landscape,” he said. “After working with this team over the past seven months, even in the midst of a global pandemic, I am more confident than ever in Ørsted’s ability to renew and revitalize America’s economy.
“There are countless individuals who are looking for not only new jobs, but also a sustainable way of life and a thriving planet. Ørsted can uniquely fulfill all these needs. I will work tirelessly with our team to deliver on these promises to all stakeholders and to create a future we can all be proud of.”
Hardy will work out of the company’s Boston offices.
Ørsted was the first European offshore wind developer to enter the U.S. market in 2015, and, since then, the company has become the country’s largest and most successful offshore wind developer, with six projects representing nearly 3,000 MW of energy development.
Brostrøm said the company is in good hands.
“Looking back at all we have achieved in a relatively short period of time, I am immensely proud of every employee and every project that has helped drive our success,” he said. “The Ørsted Offshore North America team is in very capable hands with David, and I am confident that he, and the whole Offshore N.A. senior leadership team, will continue the great progress we have started here.”
After more than 11 years with Ørsted, Brostrøm has made the decision to continue his career outside of the company. In the coming months, he will be relocating to Europe for a renewable energy leadership role with a global energy company.
