Just weeks after the 1100-MW offshore wind energy contract award by developer Ørsted, the Business Network for Offshore Wind (the Network) and Jersey Renews, a broad-based coalition of labor, community, and environmental organizations, are hosting Time for Turbines III, an all-day celebration of the New Jersey offshore wind industry.
View the event’s agenda here.
“We invite the New Jersey business, labor and environmental communities to join us at our third annual Time for Turbines event,” said Liz Burdock, CEO & President of the Network. “The offshore wind industry is estimated to create a $70B supply chain by 2030. Now is a great time to enter into this emerging sector.”
She added: “NJ companies should not wait because the opportunity to be on the ground floor and make the crucial contacts won’t always be here.”
The event will be held on August 16 at the new Stockton University campus in Atlantic City, NJ and include presentations from Ørsted, which also won a 880-MW contract with New York in July; the global developer Equinor, which has an 816-MW project with New York located just 20 miles east of Sandy Hook, NJ and Atlantic Shores. It holds a huge Wind Energy Area 15 miles off of Atlantic City, NJ.
New Jersey companies will also have an opportunity to pitch their business capabilities to these and other major offshore firms using the WindMatch tool for setting up short face-to-face meetings during the event.
New Jersey state government will be strongly represented by the following top leaders, including:
- Joseph Fiordaliso, President, NJ Board of Public Utilities
- Steve Sweeney, President, NJ Senate
- Tim Sullivan, CEO, NJ Economic Development Authority
- Rob Asaro-Angelo, Commissioner, NJ Labor & Workforce Development
- Shawn LaTourette, Chief of Staff, NJ DEP
- Bob Gordon, Commissioner, NJ BPU
- Upendra Chivukula, Commissioner, NJ
BPU Labor leaders from the steelworkers, carpenters and IBEW will spell out the incredible economic opportunities provided by the offshore wind industry, and the need for a highly skilled workforce with jobs that cannot be outsourced to other countries.
Also, national environmental groups like National Wildlife Federation, recreational fishermen, power grid experts and scientists from Rutgers University will share their insights on minimizing ocean impacts, working with the fishing community, and connecting to the onshore grid.
The Network will launch a new brochure and dedicated website on New Jersey offshore wind Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), which provides additional industry information in a question and answer format, and preview its “Foundation to Blade II” offshore wind training program coming this fall.
“This conference is so exciting because of the breadth of the panelists and attendees,” said Norah Langweiler, campaign organizer for Jersey Renews. “It’s rare to get stakeholders from so many different sectors in one room, having nuanced conversations of vital importance – it’s the future of energy production – and that’s what we’ve done.”
Tell Us What You Think!