Grid Talk: Here Comes Offshore Wind

“The wind resource blows more strongly and more consistently offshore and it better matches electric consumption patterns than a lot of other renewable sources."

Sam Byrne, Vice President of Operations, Equinor

Offshore wind power generation, well underway in China and Europe, is about to take off in a big way in America. One of the biggest splashes will be made by Equinor, now proceeding with the buildout of up to 130 ocean-planted wind turbines 15 to 30 miles off of Long Island. The operation will be anchored by operations based in Brooklyn, in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.
 

Sam Byrne, Equinor vice president of operations, said the company’s Empire Wind farm will generate 2.1 gigawatts of electricity. New York State has declared that it wants 9 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030; that’s just six years off.

Once offshore wind starts spinning, its appeal will be clear.