Orsted has confirmed plans to invest in Maryland’s first offshore wind “advanced foundation component centre” at Tradepoint Atlantic in Baltimore County.
The $14m Advanced Foundation Component Center brings Orsted’s total investments at Tradepoint Atlantic to nearly $30m.
The company committed $13.2m in port upgrades at Tradepoint Atlantic as part of Maryland’s first offshore wind staging centre.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined David Hardy, Orsted Group EVP and CEO Americas at Orsted, plus other company representatives, for the announcement at Tradepoint Atlantic.
Moore also signed into law the Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources (POWER) Act, which quadruples the State’s offshore wind energy goal to 8.5GW by 2031.
Riggs Distler, a leading union construction solutions firm, will serve as Orsted’s general contractor.
The company will construct and assemble advanced foundation components to be used on wind turbines, such as boat landings, ladders, internal and exterior platforms, railings, grating, and other items for Orsted’s offshore wind projects.
Components range in size from 12 to 150 tons and are as tall as 45 feet.
The 40-acre centre creates 125 union construction jobs and 20 professional staff jobs and expands Maryland’s position as a leading hub for the American offshore wind industry.
The centre is part of Orsted’s “Shore-to-Shore” supply chain in Maryland.
Many of the components produced at Tradepoint Atlantic will first be prefabricated at Crystal Steel Fabricators in Federalsburg on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Orsted is developing the 966MW Skipjack Wind off the Maryland coast.
Orsted will utilize the components built at Tradepoint Atlantic to help construct projects in its US portfolio, including Skipjack Wind, and to serve the broader US offshore wind industry.
“Because of the work happening today at Tradepoint Atlantic, Maryland is on track to become the offshore wind capital of America; it’s happening through this partnership with Ørsted, which is going to capture enough wind to power 300,000 homes, create 125 good-paying union jobs, and build a cleaner and greener world,” said Moore.
Hardy added: “We are proud to partner with Governor Moore, Tradepoint Atlantic and Riggs Distler to bring family-sustaining offshore wind jobs to the Baltimore region.
“Our Shore-to-Shore supply chain in the State demonstrates that offshore wind doesn’t simply benefit one region of Maryland – it benefits all of Maryland.
“By signing the historic POWER Act into law, Governor Moore has sent a clear message that Maryland is fully committed to building a strong and equitable clean energy economy for decades to come.”