Equinor and Orsted have executed the Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for the 810MW Empire Wind 1 and 924MW Sunrise offshore wind projects.

Both projects were selected as conditional winners in New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation.

The two offshore wind projects, totalling more than 1700MW of capacity, will produce enough clean energy to power over one million New York homes and will be the largest power generation projects in New York State in over 35 years once they enter operation in 2026.

Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas, said: “We thank NYSERDA and the state of New York for their steadfast commitment to the offshore wind industry and to achieving the state’s broader renewable energy targets.

“Empire Wind 1 is a defining project for Equinor and the PSA agreement is an important milestone in de-risking and ensuring a robust path forward as we work toward delivering first power.”

An important feature of Empire Wind 1 is the transformation of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn (pictured).

SBMT will be rebuilt using union labour and serve as the primary staging and assembly area for Empire Wind 1.

Going forward, the port will be positioned as a central hub for future offshore wind projects as the industry grows along the Northeast seaboard in the coming decades, Equinor said.

NYSERDA President and chief executive Doreen Harris said: “Major renewable energy infrastructure projects such as Empire Wind 1 are a crucial component in reaching toward New York’s climate goals.

“NYSERDA applauds Equinor for its ongoing commitment to investing in New York’s green economy, including the redevelopment of South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, and helping to stand-up New York’s offshore wind industry one significant milestone at a time.”

As part of this agreement, the project is set to provide a range of economic benefits that will support economic development in New York City and across the state, Equinor said. These include increased funding for workforce and community development, with significant local investments already made in the Offshore Wind Learning Center, the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub and the Offshore Wind Ecosystem Fund.

Furthermore, Empire Wind 1 has made a strong commitment to support businesses owned by minorities, women (MWBEs) and service-disabled veterans (SDVOBs), mostly focused on onshore development at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, Equinor added.

Source: ReNews