Leading Light Wind has released the first rendering of its proposed offshore wind operations & maintenance (O&M) facility at Dry Dock 4 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to service its offshore project in the New York Bight.
The facility is part of the Invenergy and co-developer energyRe’s bid to the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
Its renovation will be made possible through investment provided to Brooklyn Navy Yard by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), contingent on activation of Dry Dock 4 under NYSERDA’s third offshore wind procurement.
If selected, the proposal would help to reactivate a significant piece of New York City’s maritime infrastructure and generate new economic and job opportunities for local workers and businesses, the developer said.
The O&M facility will serve as the primary port for operations of the Leading Light Wind offshore wind project and will expand the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s existing working waterfront to provide further capabilities to existing BNY tenants like GMD Shipyard.
The redevelopment will include a newly renovated Dry Dock 4, which will feature a wet berth facility, enhanced deep water access for a range of offshore wind service vessels, renovated office and warehouse facilities, and other key infrastructure upgrades to support offshore wind development.
Building on the culture of innovation that the Brooklyn Navy Yard is known for, a co-located marine innovation test bed within Dry Dock 4 will support development of new undersea technologies that will serve as an invaluable asset not only to the offshore wind industry but to the broader maritime industry and marine research community.
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation chief executive Lindsay Greene said: “The offshore wind industry has the capacity to create thousands of jobs and new business opportunities for New Yorkers who feel the impacts of climate change most acutely – including opportunities for MWBEs, SDVOBs, and members of historically marginalized communities.
“The transformation of one of oldest maritime facilities into a state-of-the-art O&M facility in one of the nation’s leading clean energy sectors will propel our state and city to the forefront of this important conversation and provide real, tangible impacts in the fight against climate change.”
In addition, as part of its proposal, Leading Light Wind will support the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Albert C Wiltshire Employment Center with over US$800,000 of funding that will fund recruitment efforts and training programmes, connecting New York job seekers from local, frontline communities to newly created career opportunities in offshore wind
Leading Light Wind project director Wes Jacobs said: “Our proposed investment at the Brooklyn Navy Yard represents an opportunity to reactivate significant New York City infrastructure and facilitate a just transition for American workers and businesses.
“It illustrates the full power of a burgeoning offshore wind industry in New York: this is not just about clean energy – this is about jobs, revitalization, and sustained economic benefits for decades to come.”