New York Construction Report staff writer
The White House and 11 governors from East Coast states signed the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership on Thursday, to build domestic supply chains for offshore wind farms and related infrastructure.
Officials say they will work together to expand the offshore wind supply chain, from manufacturing facilities to port capabilities to workforce development and advance a National Offshore Wind Supply Chain Roadmap and designating offshore wind vessels as Vessels of National Interest to facilitate more offshore wind construction.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said East Coast governors “are united with our regional and federal partners not just by geography but by a shared commitment to clean and affordable energy, economic opportunity and a future in which all community members are shielded from the worsening impacts of climate change.”
The partnership comprises governors of both parties from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
President Biden has set a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, enough to power 10 million homes with clean energy, support 77,000 jobs, and spur $12 billion per year in private investment in offshore wind projects.
The first large-scale projects have been approved and in 2021 investors announced $2.2 billion in new funding, including commitments to develop nine major manufacturing facilities to produce the foundations, towers, cables, and blades of offshore wind turbines.
Supplier contracts to provide materials and services to offshore wind projects more than doubled. And historic project labor agreements are helping to grow a diverse union workforce and support training programs.
