Ørsted, which won New Jersey’s first offshore wind solicitation in June 2019, announced Thursday that it has submitted a bid to the Board of Public Utilities to develop its Ocean Wind 2 project.
The bid is in response to the second request for proposals under Gov. Phil Murphy’s Offshore Wind Strategic Plan, which calls for 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. This solicitation will award up to 2,400 MW.
Ørsted said its Ocean Wind 2 project includes:
- Significant investments into New Jersey’s offshore wind manufacturing capabilities. These investments will help unlock the state’s potential in serving as a manufacturing hub for the American offshore wind industry;
- Comprehensive proposals for the New Jersey Wind Port, including helping to attract suppliers to make use of the facility for Ocean Wind 2 and beyond;
- Innovative research, grants and workforce training programs that will incorporate environmental justice initiatives to assist the state’s overburdened communities;
- Continued engagement with local unions and support for efforts to create a well-trained offshore wind workforce;
- Expanded operations and maintenance footprint with more long-term good paying jobs for communities within New Jersey.
David Hardy, CEO of Ørsted Offshore North America, said his company can help the state meet its goals.
“Ørsted is the world leader in offshore wind and is already partnering with the state of New Jersey to meet its renewable energy goals,” he said. “As New Jersey looks to rebuild its economy in the wake of COVID-19 and positions itself as a leader in the new American offshore wind industry, Ørsted is uniquely positioned to help the state achieve its goals.”
Ørsted is the global leader in offshore wind and is currently developing Ocean Wind, an 1,100 MW project that will be New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm. Ocean Wind will be located 15 miles off the coast of southern New Jersey and is projected to generate enough clean energy to power 500,000 New Jersey homes.
