German to develop of Massachusetts offshore wind facility

Source: By Renewable Energy Hews • Posted: Thursday, April 5, 2018

German company EEW has signed a deal with Bay State Wind partners Orsted and Eversource to establish a facility in Massachusetts for the manufacture of offshore wind components.

The Rostock yard will partner with Louisiana company Gulf Island Fabrication, which has played a key role in the early development of the sector, to create 500 jobs.

The yard will specifically work on the production of monopile foundations and transition pieces, including secondary steel components, painting and pre-fabricated components for offshore wind turbine foundations.

EEW will manufacture the large steel pipes and primary pieces of the project. Gulf Island will outfit the secondary materials of the project and execute the painting scope.

“The collaboration will deploy new and specialised steel manufacturing capabilities that are not currently utilised in the US,” said the partners.

EEW managing partner Christoph Schorge said: “The US market, with Massachusetts and the Northeast at the forefront, has long been ripe for robust development of offshore wind energy.”

A new hub at an undisclosed location will host fabrication and load-out will generate up to 1200 indirect jobs in addition to onsite employment.

Bay State proposed an 800MW project some 40km off Massachusetts into a call due to be awarded this month.