Equinor Bids Shovel-Ready Empire Wind 1 into New York’s Expedited Wind Solicitation

Empire Wind 1 will transform South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into world-class hub for offshore wind

The Empire Wind 1 project has bid into New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation (NY4). Empire Wind 1 is ready to deliver reliable renewable power to more than half a million New York homes while helping achieve the state’s 2035 climate targets and establishing New York as a leader in the offshore wind future. If awarded, Empire Wind 1 is expected to provide first power in 2026.

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SBMT Rendering (Photo: Business Wire)

Already several years into development, Empire Wind 1 will anchor the East Coast offshore wind industry in New York City through the transformation of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) into a world-class hub for offshore wind. The project will generate billions of dollars in economic activity, wide-reaching community benefits and dependable union jobs; the bid also includes valuable opportunities to build and solidify a supply chain based in New York.

“Empire Wind 1 is ready and so is Equinor,” said Molly Morris, President of Equinor Renewables Americas. “New York has demonstrated its commitment to offshore wind and this project will play a foundational role in driving that commitment forward. Empire Wind 1 puts New York City at the heart of this new industry and the economic and environmental benefits will extend throughout the state. We continue to engage closely with our key stakeholders – including community partners, union labor, and environmental organizations – and are grateful for the support the project is receiving.”

The Empire Wind 1 bid into the NY4 solicitation follows the announcement of a swap transaction between Equinor and bp under which Equinor, subject to certain conditions and regulatory approval, will take full ownership of the Empire Wind lease and associated projects, including SBMT, where construction is expected to begin in the first half of this year; bp will take full ownership of Beacon Wind and its assets. A mutual termination agreement has also been reached with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for the Beacon Wind 1 Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificate (OREC) Purchase and Sale Agreement.

Earlier this month, Empire Wind 2 agreed to cancel its OREC agreement as part of a strategic reset due to macroeconomic factors that have had an industry-wide impact. Empire Wind 1 is in a clear position to move forward in NY4, while Empire Wind 2 will be further matured for future solicitation rounds.

The 810 MW Empire Wind 1 project continues to make significant community investments through initiatives like the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub and Ecosystem Fund, programs based in New York City that provide support for workforce development and invite community stakeholders to partner in our project. Brooklyn is already home to Empire Wind activity with the New York project office, the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub headquarters and as the future home of the Offshore Wind Learning Center, which will directly support offshore wind education.

Empire Wind 1 has already achieved several key permitting milestones, including its Article VII Certificate of Environmental Capability and Public Need from the New York Public Service Commission. Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 received the Federal Record of Decision from BOEM in November 2023.

About Empire Wind

Empire Wind is being developed by Equinor, a leading energy company with more than 20 years of experience with offshore wind and an already strong offshore wind portfolio with assets in key markets, including the UK, Poland, Germany and South Korea.

Empire Wind is located 15-30 miles southeast of Long Island and spans 80,000 acres, with water depths of between approximately 75 and 135 feet. The lease was acquired in 2017. The project’s two phases, Empire Wind 1 and 2, have a potential capacity of more than 2 GW (810 + 1,260 MW), enough to power over 1 million New York homes. www.empirewind.com

About SBMT

The 73-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal – a historic home for New York City’s working waterfront – is set to transform into one of the nation’s largest dedicated port facilities for offshore wind in the U.S. and will support the staging and assembly of offshore wind turbine components for Empire Wind and the East Coast’s growing offshore wind industry.

SBMT will serve as the operations and maintenance (O&M) hub for Empire Wind 1 and will be the site of the project’s onshore substation. A low-emissions facility with solar power and EV charging stations installed onsite, the port will provide onshore power and charging for the Empire Wind Service Operations Vessel, the first plug-in hybrid vessel for the U.S. offshore wind industry.

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