An offshore wind farm in the North Sea. Photo courtesy of Harald Pettersen/Statoil/CC BY-2.0.
A study commissioned by Eastern Connecticut business leaders and the company building the state’s first offshore wind farm claims the region could be poised to capture a share of the industry’s growing supply chain if certain key steps are taken.
The report, “Embracing the Potential of Offshore Wind in Connecticut – A Study of Opportunities and Challenges,” was commissioned by the Joint Venture created by Ørsted and Eversource to build the state’s first offshore wind farm and was overseen by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut. The Chamber hired McAllister Marine Engineering of Rhode Island to provide the research and produce the report.
Connecticut currently has businesses with advanced manufacturing capabilities and workers with those skills – in part thanks to the presence of Groton submarine-builder Electric Boat Co. – that could let it build components for wind turbines instead of seeing them built elsewhere in the United States or around the world, the report said, describing the current American supply chain as “nascent.”
The report did not quantify the size of businesses that could be involved in the local supply chain but noted that even the construction of currently authorized wind turbine projects will create between 18,000 and 20,000 jobs directly or indirectly, with significant room to add more offshore power in the area. Maintenance of the currently authorized turbines will only support around 1,400 jobs, the report said, meaning the state should take a deliberate pace when expanding offshore generation.
The report also suggests state officials explore reusing the former Norwich State Hospital site and the Pequot Landing parcels for making large turbine components like blades and towers. Both are up-river from the New London State Pier, where Ørsted and Eversource hope to stage their wind projects from.
Lastly, the report urges state officials to create an agency that can help real estate developers and manufacturers understand how to profit from the offshore wind industry and help build out the industry’s local supply chain.
In a statement, Gov. Ned Lamont said the report validates the potential his administration sees in offshore wind power development.
“We are encouraged by the fact that we have the assets in place to secure Connecticut’s role as a leader in the offshore wind industry and renewable energy. We look forward to supporting our private sector partners as we further strengthen our position in this emerging industry and maximize its benefits to the environment, job growth, economic development and our future as a state,” he said.
