The preferred supplier agreement – one of the largest of its kind to be announced in the US, is a key milestone for Empire Wind, an important step towards delivering its goal of providing offshore wind energy at scale to the state of New York.

The deal would see Vestas deliver 138 V236-15MW wind turbine generators with a total generating capacity of around 2GW – for the two Empire Wind developments. Each rotation of a 15MW turbine will be capable of powering a New York home for about 1.5 days.

“We are delighted to select our preferred supplier for what will be the largest contract in the Empire Wind project. The turbines have the highest rated capacity available in the market today, which is a great fit for the high ambitions we have in this project. We have chosen the technology which will provide the best value for Empire Wind from the world’s largest turbine manufacturer. This is state of the art technology moving the boundaries of wind energy production,” says Arne Sigve Nylund, executive vice president for Projects, Drilling & Procurement in Equinor.

“The selection of a preferred turbine supplier for New York State’s Empire Wind I and Empire Wind II offshore wind projects is providing a clear signal that the advancement of New York’s nation-leading 9 gigawatts goal of offshore wind by 2035 is on pace to deliver clean energy for New Yorkers,” said Doreen M. Harris, president and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

“Through the utilization of New York’s various ports, these types of partnerships will tap into local companies and manufacturing to further establish New York as the hub for the nation’s offshore wind industry.”

“Through this preferred supplier agreement, we are leading the development of a rapidly growing offshore wind industry in the US. This is just a starting point as we continue to progress the projects and harness the local supply chain. Empire Wind is a flagship offshore wind development, shaping the future of this industry. Today’s announcement brings us one step further, as we work together with our partner bp, the State of New York and NYSERDA, and all stakeholders to develop Empire Wind, which will play an important role in producing renewable electricity to deliver on critical climate ambitions for the state, the nation and Equinor’s target of reaching net zero by 2050,” says Siri Espedal Kindem, president of Equinor Wind US.

Felipe Arbelaez, bp’s senior vice president of zero carbon energy, added: “Major renewable energy developments like Empire Offshore Wind not only deliver clean energy to power homes, but also build important supply chains and create jobs. Empire I and Empire II can be transformational for how New York State gets its energy. bp and Equinor together have the technical and commercial abilities to get these important projects moving forward -and moving fast. We continue to seek opportunities to build out our business as we pursue our net zero ambition, and support cities such as New York on their net zero journey.”

As part of Equinor and bp’s commitment to create local capabilities in the offshore wind supply chain, Empire Wind and Vestas are maturing further opportunities for local jobs and economic activity in New York state.

Empire Wind continues to support the wider offshore wind supply chain development with the planned tower manufacturing plant in upstate New York. The tower sections for Empire Wind will be manufactured at Marmen and Welcon’s new plant in Port of Albany and will be supplied by Vestas. The tower manufacturing plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2023, creating up to 350 direct local jobs. The plan is for towers to be transported down the Hudson River to the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT). At SBMT staging of the turbine components is planned to take place before transport offshore to the Empire Wind lease area for installation, contributing to several hundred renewables jobs in New York.

The turbine supply and service and warranty contract awards are conditional upon final agreement on the contract conditions and signing of the Empire Wind II purchase and sales agreement between Empire Offshore Wind LLC and NYSERDA.