America’s First Utility-Scale Offshore Wind Farm, South Fork Wind, Now Operational

New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the completion of South Fork Wind, the nation’s first utility-scale wind farm (offshore).

With 12 offshore wind turbines completed, the project effectively supplies power to the Rockaways and Long Island. South Fork Wind also marks the start of New York’s venture into offshore wind power generation.

The United States Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, praised the project’s completion. It is further proof that America’s clean energy transition is not an aspiration for a distant future as it is happening right now, she said.

The South Fork Wind project, created by Ørsted and Eversource, includes 12 turbines off Montauk’s coast, providing clean energy to the local Long Island’s electric grid. At optimum power, the wind farm can generate adequate renewable energy to power about 70,000 homes, eradicating nearly six million tons of carbon emissions, which equals taking 60,000 cars off the road for two decades.

It’s a new era for American energy ⚡️⚡️

All 12 turbines at #SouthForkWind are now complete. pic.twitter.com/0pysrNzwHY

— South Fork Wind (@SouthForkWind) March 14, 2024

Video Credits: South Fork Wind/Twitter

The project advances New York’s Climate Leadership and the Community Protection Act’s requirements to reach 70% renewable energy by 2030 and push the installation of nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035.

The South Fork Wind project was approved in 2017 and began building in 2022, with an onshore export cable infrastructure linking the facility to the Long Island energy grid.

The assignment attained a significant milestone in June 2023 with the construction of the first monopile foundation, and the final turbine was successfully installed in February of this year. Ali Zaidi, Biden’s National Climate Advisor, emphasized the importance of the milestone.

Zaidi explained that this historic milestone will not merely advance Biden’s climate goals but also result in well-paying jobs, strengthening the power grid, supporting workers, and enhancing New Yorkers’ overall quality of life.

During the South Fork Wind construction, hundreds of U.S. workers and three Northeast ports were engaged, laying the foundation for the new domestic supply chain and creating local union job opportunities. The assignment involved local union workers from Rhode Island and Connecticut, and New York’s union workers further supported its completion.

Reference: governor.ny.gov

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