GROTON, Conn. – Revolution Wind, Connecticut's first offshore wind farm, in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), is sponsoring the premier training program for businesses interested in offshore wind supply chain opportunities.
Foundation 2 Blade, scheduled for Dec. 13-15 at the Mystic Hilton, is a six-module workshop designed to provide businesses, educators, and policymakers with the information, resources, and industry connections necessary to support and benefit from the offshore wind energy industry. The Business Network for Offshore Wind provides Foundation 2 Blade instructors and materials. The six modules cover an overview of the industry, requirements for siting and permitting, manufacturing, construction and installation, operations and maintenance, and how to become part of the industry.
Those interested in attending can register here
The Southeastern CT Enterprise Region (seCTer), the federally designated economic development agency for the area, is hosting Foundation 2 Blade in collaboration with AdvanceCT, which supports DECD's efforts to engage, retain, and recruit businesses.
"We are pleased to bring Foundation 2 Blade to Connecticut for a wide range of businesses to learn about the opportunities provided by the offshore wind industry and our portfolio specifically," said Nicole Verdi, Ørsted Head of Government Affairs & Policy, New England. "Ørsted has decades of experience building clean energy projects, and as the U.S. leader in offshore wind, we are investing in the U.S. supply chain and the new careers it will generate. Initiatives like Foundation 2 Blade are critical to further support the development of the American supply chain."
"Eversource is working to launch a new, domestic renewable energy industry here in Connecticut and throughout the region. As we transition to a better, cleaner future for our state, ensuring that local businesses and workers have an opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, this newly emerging industry is critical to its long-term success," said Ray Collins, Eversource Manager of Government Affairs and Community Relations. "Foundation 2 Blade, and similar initiatives, have an important role to play in helping grow the domestic supply chain and pool of experienced, skilled laborers required to develop this new industry. We couldn't be prouder to support this exciting program as we continue to help build a more sustainable and prosperous Connecticut."
Revolution Wind, a joint venture of Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind energy development, and Eversource, a national energy leader providing power to the region for more than 100 years, is a 704-megawatt project that will provide enough clean, renewable energy for more than 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island beginning in 2025. It will be located 32 miles southeast of Connecticut, 15 miles south of Rhode Island, and 12 miles southwest of Martha's Vineyard.
Revolution Wind is one of three wind farms in the joint venture's Northeast portfolio. South Fork Wind and Sunrise Wind will be developed 30 to 35 miles east of Montauk, Long Island, and will generate enough clean energy to power 670,000 New York homes.
Turbines for all three wind farms will be staged, assembled, and shipped from State Pier in the Port of New London, starting with South Fork Wind in 2023. The three projects represent opportunities for business expansion and new careers over the next decade.
"This training is a fantastic initiative and is part of a groundswell of activity moving Connecticut's offshore wind industry forward," said John Bourdeaux, President of AdvanceCT. "We are thrilled to see partners like Revolution Wind bringing programs and resources like this to the state. Connecticut is well-positioned to be a driving force in the North American offshore wind industry, so training, workforce development, and supply chain management are immensely important, and we are proud to partner with TeamCT to bring our state to the forefront of the industry."
"With the massive wind turbine components for South Fork Wind scheduled to be delivered in 2023 to State Pier in the Port of New London, we feel it is vital to bring Foundation 2 Blade to this region to showcase the opportunities available in the industry," said Paul Whitescarver, Executive Director of seCTer. "Becoming part of the supply chain can take a business to the next level based on the national commitment to offshore wind energy."
“As the Port of New London prepares to serve as an important hub for offshore wind development in the Northeast, we look forward to providing Connecticut policymakers, educators, and businesses with the information they need to fully capitalize on this burgeoning U.S. industry for decades to come,” said Carol Oldham, Northeast Director, Business Network for Offshore Wind.
While developing offshore wind farms requires many of the traditional construction trades, it also requires significant support from other professions and services. The Business Network for Offshore Wind has indicated that the industry needs businesses and workers in the following fields: steel fabrication, piling and boring, carpentry, HVAC, electrical engineering, marine engineering, sea transportation, health and safety services, information technology, environmental surveying, legal and financial services, market research and project management.
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About Ørsted
A global clean energy leader, Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates offshore and land-based wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants. Ørsted is the only energy company in the world with a science-based net-zero emissions target as validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. Four years in a row, the company was ranked the world's most sustainable energy company by Corporate Knights.
In the United States, the company has approximately 650 employees and a growing portfolio of clean energy assets and partnerships that includes offshore wind energy, land-based wind energy, solar, storage technologies and e-fuels. A leader across the renewable energy sector in the United States, Ørsted holds the top position in offshore wind energy with approximately 5 gigawatts in development and operates America's first offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Block Island. Ørsted has a total U.S. land-based capacity of 5 gigawatts across wind, solar, storage technologies and e-fuels. To learn more about the Ørsted U.S. business, visit us.orsted.com or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ØrstedUS).
About Eversource
Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy company in Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies for 2021 and recognized as one of America's Most JUST Companies. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas and supplies water to approximately 4.4 million customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 9,200 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.
About Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development
The Department of Economic and Community Development is the state's lead agency responsible for strengthening Connecticut's competitive position in the rapidly changing, knowledge-based global economy. The agency takes a comprehensive approach to economic development that incorporates community development, transportation, education, and arts and culture. See portal.ct.gov/DECD or more information,
About the Business Network for Offshore Wind
The Business Network for Offshore Wind is the largest non-profit organization dedicated solely to building a robust offshore wind supply chain and expanding adoption of offshore wind energy. It advances the industry through collaboration, education, and innovation, including the International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF), the leading offshore wind conference in North America, and the OSW Market Dashboard. Learn more at offshorewindus.org
About AdvanceCT
AdvanceCT is a business-driven nonprofit that works to engage, retain, and recruit businesses to Connecticut. AdvanceCT collaborates with the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and our partners to implement high-impact, equitable economic development. Our team advocates for and promotes Connecticut as a location for companies to compete and grow. advancect.org
About seCTer
The Southeastern CT Enterprise Region (seCTer) is the region's designated private, non-profit Economic Development Organization providing a broad range of services and resources to stimulate and support economic development and diversification within Southeastern Connecticut. Find out more at secter.org