Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop has welcomed EnBW North America, which officially opened the German subsidiary’s first U.S. office in the competitive New Jersey and New York offshore wind market. A ribbon ceremony was held this week in Jersey City, with Mayor Fulop, New Jersey Economic Development Authority Senior VP Brian Sabina, and other industry advocates.
From left to right: NJ Senior VP for Economic Transformation Brian Sabina, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, ENBW AG Head of Offshore Wind Portfolio Development Holger Grubel, EnBW North America Managing Director Bill White at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Jersey City, celebrating EnBW North America’s new office.
“With combined targets of nearly 13 gigawatts, New Jersey and New York are poised to lead the growth of the U.S. offshore wind market,” said EnBW North America Managing Director Bill White. “We are proud to open this office in Jersey City, so that we can learn directly from the communities we hope to serve, as we develop competitive projects that deliver clean energy and jobs to the region.”
Grounded in nearly a decade of European offshore wind experience by its parent company EnBW AG, EnBW North America is committed to supplying U.S. consumers and businesses with clean, renewable electricity at an affordable price.
In a statement, Governor Phil Murphy, who visited EnBW’s leadership team in Germany last fall, noted: “New Jersey is poised not just to be a national leader in the production of offshore wind energy, but we have everything needed to become a global leader. I am thrilled that EnBW North America has recognized the countless market opportunities in offshore wind energy New Jersey has to offer and has chosen to be a partner in that effort.”
The German utility is one of the leading European offshore wind developers, with a portfolio of nearly 1,000 MW of offshore wind projects under operation or construction in Europe and more than 3,000 MW under development globally. EnBW has recently expanded into Asia as well as North America. In the Northeast U.S., the company’s focus is on the New Jersey and New York market, with the Bureau of Offshore Energy Management (BOEM) lease auction for the New York Bight expected in early 2020. EnBW North America has joined the New York Offshore Wind Alliance.
“As we continue to address global climate change and take measurable actions as a City, it is fitting that EnBW North America opens their office here,” said Mayor Fulop. “While we continue to build an economy on sustainable and green forms of energy, the opening of this office will create new jobs and continue to encourage us to find bold new ways to reduce our carbon footprint.”
EnBW North America is also looking to support regional wind development in northern New England and recently became the first offshore wind developer member of Clean Energy New Hampshire. On the West Coast, EnBW North America is the majority owner of Castle Wind, the nation’s first proposed floating offshore wind project off Morro Bay California.
“Establishing our first U.S. office here in Jersey City is a major milestone for our company,” said Holger Grubel, EnBW’s Head of Offshore Wind Portfolio Development. “We intend to combine our unique blend of German engineering expertise with our local team’s know-how in energy policy and community engagement to advance the region’s goals for clean energy, economic development, and environmental stewardship.”
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind
