Albany, NY – Equinor and partner bp launched the first of three Industry Supplier Expos with an inaugural event in the Capitol Region at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC), in Troy, New York, yesterday. More than 80 manufacturers attended the expo which is designed to help local and regional manufacturers participate in New York’s new offshore wind industry and connect them directly with Equinor and its key suppliers. The event was also attended by Assemblyman John McDonald from the 108th District and Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy from the 109th District.
The Industry Supplier Expos are part of Equinor’s efforts to facilitate the growth and sustainability of a New York-focused supply chain to sell components and services in the offshore wind industry for decades to come. The series offers a springboard for New York businesses to find out more about working in the offshore wind industry and prepare for future industry opportunities. The supplier expos also seek to foster involvement from minority- and women –owned businesses and service-disabled veteran owned businesses.
“The Supply Chain Expo is a great opportunity for New York businesses to learn how to get involved in this exciting industry. Offshore wind is still new to the United States, and Equinor and bp are committed to helping create a new and vibrant regional supply chain. These events will help us connect with a variety of manufacturers, especially those in adjacent sectors like aerospace, maritime, and heavy industries that are well-positioned to join the offshore wind ecosystem.” said Molly Morris, President of Equinor Wind US.
At the expo, attendees heard from suppliers and industry leaders who are working with the Empire and Beacon Wind projects and participated in one on one “matchmaking” to find out more about how they can become a part of the supply chain. The second and third supplier events will occur in New York City and Long Island respectively in 2023.
Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “NYSERDA is working collaboratively to cultivate a New York-centered U.S. supply chain and develop clear pathways to well-paying, long-term careers in the offshore wind industry. This industry supplier roadshow hosted by Equinor and bp is another opportunity for businesses from the Capital Region and beyond to make connections with manufacturers and capitalize on prospects to join this growing ecosystem right here in New York.”
Key suppliers engaged in panels where they spoke about the importance of building local supply chains for a new industry.
“Nexans is committed to building a local and sustainable supply chain for offshore wind and are excited to participate in Equinor’s Supply Chain Expo to learn more about the opportunities in New York,” said Bjorn Ladegard of Nexans.
“GLDD is excited to share our success story of a U.S. firm moving into the Offshore Wind Industry, especially with the support of Equinor and NYSERDA,” said Michael Greenwood of Great Lakes Dredge and Dock.
“Edison Chouest Offshore are proud to play an important role in the prestigious Empire Wind I/II development by designing, building, owning and operating a US Flagged Service Operations Vessel. The deployment of offshore wind farms in the US is a fantastic opportunity to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions utilizing a sustainable resource but also providing New York State organizations and residents opportunities to engage in the burgeoning industry,” said Michael Braid, Vice President of Renewables for Edison Chouset.
“We applaud Equinor and New York for their leadership and commitment to developing the US offshore wind industry. We look forward to building a sustainable supply chain in New York and deploying our V236-15 MW turbine to bring the 2.1 GW Empire Wind offshore project to operation. This event is a key step to collectively build a robust value chain and deliver reliable jobs and lasting benefits to New York State,” said Amy McGinty, Vice President of Offshore Construction and Operations, Vestas North America.
“Marmen Welcon is excited to be a part of bringing the off-shore wind industry to the Port of Albany. We look forward to the many partnerships with the community and businesses that this project will provide, as well as contributing to the development of the local workforce to support this exciting industry,” said Aimee Mairitello of Marmen Welcon.
Future supplier expos will take place in New York City at the CUNY Graduate Center on February 7th and on Long Island at Farmingdale State College on March 10th.
Equinor Renewables US
Equinor is one of the largest offshore wind developers in the world. Its work in the United States includes the development of two lease areas off of in New York, Empire Wind and Beacon Wind. The projects plan to provide New York State with 3.3 gigawatts (GWs) of energy—enough to power nearly two million homes—including more than 2 GWs from Empire Wind and 1,230 megawatts from Beacon Wind 1. www.equinor.com/NY
bp in the US
bp’s ambition is to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner, and to help the world get to net zero. bp has a larger economic footprint in the United States than anywhere else in the world, investing more than $130 billion in the economy and supporting about 245,000 jobs. For more information on bp in the US, visit www.bp.com/us.
About Empire Wind
Empire Wind is being developed by Equinor and bp through their 50-50 strategic partnership in the US. Empire Wind will power more than 1 million homes and generate 2.1 GW of power. For more information, please visit www.empirewind.com.
About Beacon Wind
Beacon Wind is planned for an area of 128,000 acres in federal waters between Cape Cod and Long Island. The lease area was acquired in 2019 and is being developed in two phases. Beacon Wind 1 is on track to deliver 1.2 GW of renewable energy directly to New York City in the late 2020s – enough to power 1 million homes. Beacon Wind 2 has the capacity to generate another 1.2 GW of clean energy for consumers in the US Northeast. www.beaconwind.com
