The state of New Jersey got another data point to show just how big the New Jersey Wind Port could become.
On Thursday, the Economic Development Authority announced six of the largest turbine manufacturers and offshore wind developers in the world had submitted a total of 16 nonbinding applications to become a tenant.
EDA officials said the applications, which were made in response to a recent notice for sublease of property, confirms the offshore wind industry’s strong and sustained interest in partnering with the state to turn the New Jersey Wind Port into an internationally recognized offshore wind hub — one the state feels will drive economic growth and job creation in South Jersey and throughout the Garden State.
The bids were made by individual parcel — with some parcels getting multiple bids. So, not all 16 bids will be accepted, although it is possible for a company to have more than one of its bids accepted.
These six companies submitted bids (a greater explanation is at the bottom):
- Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind;
- Ørsted Wind Power North America;
- Beacon Wind;
- GE Renewables US;
- Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy;
- Vestas-American Wind Technology.
After scoring is completed, EDA officials said they anticipate beginning negotiations with some or all of the parties with compliant bids. Regardless of how many bids are accepted, the EDA said there will be a second phase of the process — a phase they anticipate will be well-received.
The New Jersey Wind Port is a first-in-the-nation infrastructure investment that will provide a location for essential staging, assembly and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind projects on the East Coast. At full buildout, the Wind Port has the potential to create up to 1,500 manufacturing, assembly and operations jobs and drive billions of dollars in economic growth.
Gov. Phil Murphy was delighted by the news and what it means for the Wind Port moving forward.
“The New Jersey Wind Port is a game-changing investment that establishes New Jersey as the capital of offshore wind in the United States,” Murphy said. “The overwhelming response to this early opportunity to lease space at the Wind Port from the biggest global players in offshore wind shows that we are already well on our way to achieving this vision and driving economic growth that firmly aligns with our environmental goals.”
State Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) was thrilled the South Jersey project was so well-received. The impact it will have on the region will be great, he said.
“We have captured the world’s attention with a Wind Port that will be the nation’s first onshore site built with the purpose of servicing an offshore wind industry,” he said. “It will position South Jersey at the epicenter of the emerging industry for wind farms off the Jersey Shore and along the entire Atlantic Seaboard.
“The economic benefits will be significant and long-lasting. This project will create hundreds of construction jobs, support thousands of ancillary jobs, and generate $500 million in annual economic activity.”
Sweeney said this didn’t happen by accident.
“This is the realization of a vision that has been more than a decade in the making, going back to our Offshore Wind Economic Development Act of 2010,” he said. “It was an investment in New Jersey’s future that capitalized on our strengths, including a highly skilled workforce and an effective transportation infrastructure, and our willingness to invest in the evolving clean energy sector. It is an investment in New Jersey’s future that will put our state in the forefront of a new industry that will offer expanding opportunities for generations to come.”
Other South Jersey elected officials weighed in:
- Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-West Deptford): “I am pleased that so many offshore wind energy companies — including some of the largest in the world — have expressed interest in the New Jersey Wind Port. With fewer restrictions and greater access to various wind markets, this site is perfectly positioned to serve as a hub for America’s offshore wind industry. Our efforts to establish this port will lead to the creation of hundreds of new jobs and will advance our state toward a clean energy future.”
- Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro (D-Salem): “Not only will this port help our state achieve its clean energy goals, it will also help increase the use of offshore wind throughout the rest of the world. The interest in the New Jersey Wind Port goes to show just how critical it will be in expanding the offshore wind industry. Enabling environmentally friendly energy sources while creating good-paying union jobs is a win-win for our region, and I look forward to seeing this project continue to advance.”
Here’s a look at the bids:
- All bidders put in multiple offers encompassing different parcels, project configurations and levels of investments. Compliant bidders included offshore wind developers and manufacturers.
- Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind LLC, Ørsted Wind Power North America LLC and Beacon Wind LLC are offshore wind developers that submitted offers for Parcels A and B1, which are being purpose-built for offshore wind marshalling, staging and final assembly of turbines.
- GE Renewables US LLC, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Inc. and Vestas-American Wind Technology Inc. are the three largest offshore wind turbine manufacturers in Europe and the U.S. All three have submitted bids for both Parcels C and G, the two manufacturing parcels available at the Wind Port.
