Construction giant Skanska has been awarded a contract to turn the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into one of the US’s largest offshore wind ports.

Skanska’s $861 million critical infrastructure offshore wind hub project in Brooklyn will support the 2.1 gigawatt (GW) Empire Wind project, which Equinor is currently developing 15 to 30 miles off New York. It will feature 147 turbines and be capable of powering over 1 million households.

The project scope at the 73-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal includes existing building demolition, ground improvements to support the staging of wind turbine components, underground utility installation, and the installation of two new heavy-lift crane pads. There will also be significant waterfront and marine upgrades.

Skanska will build a new 85,000-square-foot operations and maintenance building with warehouse, office, and parking to support the construction and ongoing operations and maintenance of Empire Wind 1. Construction activities covered by this award will run into 2026.

When the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal transformation is complete, it will receive and store offshore wind turbine components, and pre-assembly will also be conducted there.

It will be the operational and maintenance hub for Empire Wind 1, and act as the point of interconnection to integrate power from Empire Wind 1 to New York’s electricity grid at the Gowanus Substation in Brooklyn.

On a larger scale, South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is designed to be a central, scalable hub for the expanding East Coast offshore wind market, including as a port for future offshore wind developments.

South Brooklyn Marine Terminal is located along the Upper New York Bay, between 29th and 39th streets in the Sunset Park and Greenwood Heights neighborhoods, and is close to the Green-Wood Cemetery. 

Read more: 2023 was a record year for wind power growth – in numbers

To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – ad*