Entering the emerging offshore wind market in New Jersey and New York, EnBW North America has officially opened its first U.S. office in Jersey City.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday night, the city’s mayor, Steven Fulop, welcomed EnBW to northeastern New Jersey.
“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 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.”
“With combined targets of nearly 13 GW, New Jersey and New York are poised to lead the growth of the U.S. offshore wind market,” said Bill White, EnBW North America’s managing director. “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.”
In a statement, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who visited EnBW’s leadership team in Germany last fall, notes, “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.”
EnBW North America’s parent company, EnBW AG, has nearly a decade of offshore wind experience in Europe. The German utility has a portfolio of nearly 1 GW of offshore wind projects in operation or under construction in Europe and more than 3 GW under development globally.
“Establishing our first U.S. office here in Jersey City is a major milestone for our company,” says 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.”
In the Northeast U.S., the company’s focus is on the New Jersey/New York market. A member of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance, EnBW North America is also looking to support wind development in northern New England and recently became a member of Clean Energy New Hampshire. On the West Coast, EnBW North America is the majority owner of Castle Wind, a proposed floating offshore wind project off Morro Bay, Calif.
