Vestas has confirmed its previous conditional agreement to supply turbines for Equinor’s US 810MW Empire Wind 1 offshore project, following a successful rebid in New York’s latest offshore wind solicitation.
Empire Wind 1 is part of the larger Empire Wind project, to be built in two phases. The second phase will have 1.26GW of capacity and the two phases together will have 2.1GW of capacity.
To be located between 15 and 30 miles from Long Island, Empire Wind 1 will feature 147 turbines.
In February 2024, New York’s state government conditionally selected two offshore wind projects, Empire Wind 1 and the 924MW Sunrise Wind, a joint venture by Orsted and Eversource, in its fourth solicitation.
Vestas will supply its new V236-15.0MW turbines for Empire Wind 1.
A prototype was installed in December 2022 and is undergoing final verification before serial production begins.
Vestas North America offshore sales senior vice-president Josh Irwin stated: “Ensuring the long-term viability and sustainability of the US offshore market relies heavily on the safe, timely and successful execution of the first wave of projects and this landmark project is a crucial step towards putting turbines in the water.
“We look forward to delivering an existing, reliable product and partnering with Equinor to help New York achieve its ambitious offshore wind energy goals and provide resilient wind energy to its communities.”
In October 2021, Vestas was selected as the preferred supplier for the Empire Wind 1 and 2 wind farms.
In January 2024, Equinor and BP entered a swap transaction affecting their offshore wind assets. Equinor will take full ownership of the Empire Wind lease and bp will assume control of the Beacon Wind lease and projects.
