Offshore Wind NYC

New Industry, New Opportunity

The growing offshore wind (OSW) industry has an important role to play in New York City’s move to clean energy over the coming decades. With the city committed to 100-percent clean electricity by 2040 and carbon neutrality by 2050, this requires a shift to renewable energy from many sources. Offshore wind is a vital part of this shift.

Nationally, enough offshore wind will be built in just nine years to power 10 million homes with clean, renewable energy. A new industry will be created in the US to make this happen, with the potential to equitably distribute economic benefits to workers, utility customers, and communities.

New York City can lead the way in the growing industry. The City and community and environmental justice leaders have recognized the size and scale of this opportunity and have laid the groundwork to attract offshore wind to NYC, with the City committing to a $191M+ investment over 15 years. Offshore Wind NYC is the plan to seize this opportunity.

The Plan: Equitable Opportunity for a Sustainable Future

Offshore Wind NYC will leverage the city’s expertise in maritime infrastructure development, world-class talent base and workforce development system, and capacity for innovation across sectors—all while centering an equity focus as no other global destination has done before.

Three Core Strategies

• Sites and Infrastructure: Developing best-in-class infrastructure that will support the construction and operation of 12 GW of offshore wind
• Businesses and Workforce: Preparing local workers and businesses to seize upon the opportunities that will be created by infrastructure investments
• Research and Innovation: Promoting innovation in offshore wind to ensure that new technologies and approaches are created in New York City

This plan will enable NYC to support offshore wind projects up and down the East Coast. Further, NYC will be able to export innovative technologies and processes to advance OSW projects around the world.

Centering Equity

The plan’s equity focus will make NYC the model for growing urban OSW clusters in the United States and for ensuring that the clean energy transition is truly just for all. Offshore Wind NYC will:

• Transform maritime properties to bring jobs and environmental benefits to historically disadvantaged communities
• Enable existing development and business support systems to prepare a diverse pool of talent and entrepreneurs to serve the industry
• Attract investment to grow the industry and create good-paying jobs for New Yorkers of all backgrounds

A World-Class OSW Port

In Sunset Park, Brooklyn, NYCEDC and its partners have collaborated to activate the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) into a world-class OSW port, to be operated by Equinor, a global developer of offshore wind power operating the Empire Wind Project. This ensures that a sizeable piece of the burgeoning industry will land in New York City by the mid-2020s.

As part of their operation at SBMT, the Empire Wind Project plans to establish a $5M fund to ensure that low-income populations, people of color, and New Yorkers from environmental justice communities equitably share in the benefits of the industry.

Offshore Wind Program Proposal Design Sprint

Participate in NYCEDC’s Offshore Wind Program Proposal Design Sprint in preparation for NYSERDA’s 3rd OREC solicitation

The OSW industry is at a critical moment of emergence and growth in New York City. The sector is poised to employ over 13,000 New Yorkers and generate $1.3B in average annual local investments. Yet severe workforce gaps must be addressed and a domestic supply chain for OSW must be developed to meet our climate goals and capture economic opportunity for workers and businesses. NYCEDC’s Offshore Wind Program Proposal Design Sprint will support New York City’s local workforce and supply chain ecosystems to harness the potential of this moment.

The design sprint provides a pathway for local workforce and business development entities to develop program proposals to address current gaps in OSW talent pools and supply chains. Submitted program proposals will be considered by OSW developers for inclusion in their bids to NYSERDA’s forthcoming Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits Solicitation. NYCEDC does not intend to resource any submitted program proposals.