A groundbreaking ceremony on Monday signaled the start of construction on what will be the nation’s largest dedicated offshore wind port at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in New York City.
The 73-acre site that will serve as the operations and maintenance hub for Equinor's Empire Wind 1, a large offshore wind project whose first phase will deliver 810 megawatts of renewable energy to New York, with a target to deliver first power in late 2026. Additionally, SBMT will host an onshore substation to connect electricity from the offshore wind turbines into New York City’s' electricity grid at the Gowanus Substation in Brooklyn. Construction at SBMT to support Empire Wind 1 is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
“We are taking a large step forward in our commitment to build a sustainable future and foster economic growth,” Governor Hochul said. “With the groundbreaking of South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, New York is fueling the redevelopment of the Brooklyn waterfront, bringing important investments to our communities, creating good-paying jobs, and building the model for the offshore wind industry that the rest of the nation can follow.”
New York City Mayor Adams said, “Today, we are powering up New York’s clean energy economy and creating more than 1,000 union jobs for working-class New Yorkers as we break ground on the largest dedicated offshore wind port in the nation at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. In addition to creating jobs and economic growth, this offshore wind project will significantly reduce our carbon footprint and ensure our city meets our climate goals of 100-percent clean electricity by 2040 and carbon neutrality by 2050. Together with our recent acquisition of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal in nearby Red Hook, we are well on our way to reimagining Brooklyn’s working waterfront for the 21st century, powered by the green economy and through our ‘Green Economy Action Plan’ that will help create jobs and opportunity for generations to come.”
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Today marks another monumental step in the transition away from fossil fuels through New York State’s commitment to delivering clean offshore wind power. The modernization and expansion of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is a gamechanger for the offshore wind industry, not only in New York, but in the U.S. I congratulate Equinor and SBMT as this facility is now officially on its way to becoming the largest dedicated offshore wind port in the United States.”
Equinor Renewables Americas President Molly Morris said, “Today’s groundbreaking at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is a defining moment for Empire Wind 1 and for the long-term renewable energy ambitions of New York State and beyond. We are proud to restore this historic working waterfront in Brooklyn and grateful for the shared commitment to offshore wind shown by this community and by city, state and federal leaders who made this milestone possible. This construction will result in union jobs and local economic benefits while supporting a project that will deliver homegrown power to New Yorkers and position the state as a leader in the advancing offshore wind industry.”
In September 2021, the city and NYCEDC unveiled a 15-year, $191 million Offshore Wind Vision Plan to make New York a leading destination for the industry.
In 2022, Mayor Adams announced an agreement that will transform the city-owned SBMT into one of the largest offshore wind port facilities in the nation. As part of the deal finalized by NYCEDC, Equinor and the Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, L.P. (SSBMT) will upgrade and build out the terminal as Empire Wind 1’s long-term Operations & Maintenance Base, which includes a control room that measures turbine data and monitors the project around-the-clock. Empire Wind 1 will be the first offshore wind farm to connect directly to New York City’s power grid.
Last week, NYSERDA and Equinor finalized a new contract for Empire Wind 1. As a mature project, Empire Wind I, has already completed most federal and state permitting milestones. Empire Wind 1’s federal Construction and Operations Plan (COP) was approved by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in November 2023 and achieved a critical milestone last month when the New York State Public Service Commission approved the project’s plan to connect to New York’s electric grid.