Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy will establish an offshore wind turbine blade facility in Virginia for the emerging U.S. offshore market.
Siemens Gamesa will develop more than 80 acres/32 hectares at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Portsmouth, Virginia, upon execution of a firm order for the 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project with Dominion Energy. Representing a cost of more than $200 million, the facility would perform finishing of patented Siemens Gamesa Offshore IntegralBlades. Approximately 260 jobs at the facility are expected to be created when fully operational. Also, Siemens Gamesa intends to create around 50 service jobs to provide operations and maintenance services for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project.
Furthermore, to enable the blade facility, Siemens Gamesa entered a land lease agreement with the Virginia Port Authority, supported by Virginia state incentives for site improvements. When operational, the facility is immediately intended to support deliveries to the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project.
“We at Siemens Gamesa have shown the offshore wind industry the way for over 30 years. Establishing the industry’s first dedicated offshore wind turbine blade facility in the United States proves again that we are leading the offshore revolution. The U.S. offshore market is a critical part of our overall global strategy, with our presence in Virginia playing a crucial and central role. Our multimillion US-dollar investment has been energized by the strong collaboration with Dominion Energy and support of Virginia’s legislature and authorities,” states Marc Becker, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit.
The Siemens Gamesa blade facility represents another step to develop the Portsmouth Marine Terminal into an offshore wind hub. Siemens Gamesa will look to potentially expand the facility if awarded future projects in the region, creating additional jobs in the future.
“As Congress considers taking historic action on climate, this facility evidences that offshore wind can create significant new manufacturing activity and quality jobs to American communities,” said Steve Dayney, Siemens Gamesa’s Head of Offshore North America. “We are hopeful this commitment will lead to further action by federal and state policy makers to establish policies to provide long term certainty and help sustain the competitiveness of this facility in the global marketplace for decades to come.”
The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project preferred supplier agreement remains subject to certain conditions including Dominion Energy’s final investment decision, governmental permitting, and other required approvals. The final number of SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines intended to be used likewise remains to be determined.
News item from Siemens Gamesa
Filed Under: Blades, News
