Spain-headquartered renewables giant Siemens Gamesa announced today that it will build a new offshore wind turbine blade factory in Virginia. The $200 million factory will be the first of its kind in the US.
The US’ first offshore wind blade factory
Siemens Gamesa will develop an 80-acre (32-hectare) site at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Portsmouth, Virginia, which will ultimately become an offshore wind hub. The company entered a land lease agreement with the Virginia Port Authority, supported by Virginia state incentives for site improvements.
The new factory will be built “upon execution of a firm order” for the 2.6 gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project with Dominion Energy.
Siemens Gamesa claims it’s the first commitment by a global offshore wind turbine manufacturer in a US-based supply chain.
The manufacturing facility will create around 260 jobs, and Siemens Gamesa also intends to create around 50 service jobs to provide operations and maintenance services for the offshore wind farm.
Liz Burdock, CEO and president of the Business Network for Offshore Wind, said:
Bringing the first offshore wind blade factory to the United States is another historic moment for our industry’s development and critical to our ongoing efforts to localize a robust supply chain.
With the global demand for offshore wind growing exponentially, we must accelerate development of a local supply chain to ensure the US can achieve its renewable energy goals and create well-paying American jobs in the process.
Today’s announcement is a welcome sign of growing investor confidence in the US market and highlights the Commonwealth of Virginia’s emergence as a hub for offshore wind activity.
Congratulations to Governor Ralph Northam [D-VA] and our federal leadership in helping make this day a reality and moving the US market forward.
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said:
Offshore wind energy will create jobs and economic prosperity across the country, and with President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda, we’re showing that the United States is open for business on clean energy.
Virginia is helping lead the way to strengthen the nation’s domestic supply chains of renewable energy and keep energy prices affordable for American households as we strive for a cleaner future.
Read more: Almost the entire US coastline could now host offshore wind farms
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