Norwegian energy giant Equinor officially broke ground on construction at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in New York, according to the Governor’s Press Office.
It marks a significant advancement towards turning the historic port into an East Coast offshore wind hub.
Project development
Equinor will erect its first-ever offshore wind project, Empire Wind 1, at the SBMT.
It will be a central, scalable hub for the burgeoning East Coast offshore wind market. It will also serve as a port for future offshore wind projects.
Once Equinor completes the development of the marine terminal, it will be one of the biggest dedicated offshore wind hubs nationwide.
“We are proud to restore this historic working waterfront in Brooklyn and grateful for the shared commitment to offshore wind shown by this community and city, state, and federal leaders who made this milestone possible.”
Molly Morris, Equinor Renewables Americas President
As per the press release, the 73-acre construction project will contain solar and electric vehicle charging stations. It will also provide a staging and pre-assembly zone for Empire Wind 1’s wind turbine components.
In addition, it will feature an onshore substation to connect 810 megawatts (MW) of wind power to the Gowanus substation. In effect, the Empire Wind 1 will become the first-ever offshore wind farm to connect directly to the New York City electric grid.
SBMT will also house Empire Wind 1’s long-term Operations & Maintenance Base, including a control facility that will gauge turbine data and monitor the project around the clock.
Energy generation capacity
Equinor’s 54-turbine Empire Wind 1 will generate enough renewable energy from wind to provide for 500,000 households.
This first phase will reportedly generate 810 megawatts of renewable energy. It aims to yield its inaugural power in late 2026, marking a major advancement in the Norwegian developer’s sustainable energy vision in the US.
On June 4, Equinor and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority formally signed an offtake agreement for the wind farm’s power.
Potential impact
Apart from the remarkable power generation capacity, the project development is also expected to create 1,000 union jobs in Brooklyn.
The Empire Wind 1 will also help the city cut carbon emissions and achieve its climate target of having clean energy account for 100% of its electricity generation by 2040. This is a crucial step for the city to achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2050.
“Today, we are powering up New York’s clean energy economy and creating more than 1,000 union jobs for working-class New Yorkers as we break ground on the largest dedicated offshore wind port in the nation at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal.”
New York City Mayor Adams
Construction at SBMT to support Empire Wind 1’s imminent launch is estimated to conclude by the end of 2026.
