Vestas secures first U.S. offshore order with 810-MW project in New York

The first offshore order for Vestas North America will result in 54 wind turbines off the coast of New York that will help generate power for up to 1 million homes. But they will not be built in Colorado, the site of Vestas’ only North American manufacturing facilities.

Until now, all projects in the United States have been on land in various wind projects around the country. This “offshore” project will provide 810 megawatts of electricity for New York’s Empire 1 project, a few miles into the Atlantic Ocean. It is the first offshore project Vestas has received in North America. These turbines will be almost double the size of the turbines manufactured locally.

“Delivering our commercially ready V236-15.0 MW for our first U.S. offshore project is a moment of huge pride for Vestas North America, and we’re poised to continue leading the build-out of U.S. offshore wind with our industry-leading technology at the forefront of it,” John Eggers, chief technology officer for Vestas North America, said in a news release.

The blades will most likely be manufactured at the company’s new facility in Poland, which is expected to open in 2025, and is geared specifically toward making the V236 turbine components. The company’s Colorado facilities are focused on building much smaller blades and nacelles. Colorado’s factores are geared toward building 218-foot blades, while the V236 turbine has 377-foot blades. 

The Empire Wind 1 project includes the transformation of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park, New York, which is set to become one of the nation’s largest port facilities for offshore wind, according to the news release. The terminal will provide the infrastructure to deploy the V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbines. They are scheduled to be delivered in late 2026 and commissioned in 2027. Vestas will assemble the turbines onsite with local crews and equipment.

“We are privileged to partner with Equinor on this momentous U.S. project and provide them with our flagship offshore technology. Reaching this major milestone is a testament to the vigorous dedication of our entire team, who continuously strive to advance clean energy solutions and build the long-term future of the U.S. offshore market,” Laura Beane, president of Vestas North America, said in a news release.

This is the eighth North American turbine order the company has taken on in 2024. In the first six months of this year, the company was busy pumping out late orders from 2023.

“Offshore wind is set to play a pivotal role in expanding America’s energy landscape, and with today’s announcement, we are moving closer to building out a robust U.S. offshore market,” Josh Irwin, senior vice president of offshore sales for Vestas North America, said in the release. “This is a significant moment for New York and the U.S. offshore industry, and we’re excited to deliver a proven, reliable product to help New York achieve its ambitious offshore wind energy goals and provide resilient wind energy to its communities.”