Connecticut
is Leading the Way in Offshore Wind

Connecticut is home to a burgeoning offshore wind industry, invigorated by the state’s commitment to achieve net-zero carbon electricity by 2040. This commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, combined with a rich history of advanced manufacturing, uniquely positions Connecticut to provide industry support services and serve as a launchpad for offshore wind projects throughout the Northeast.

Additionally, its location near several offshore lease areas and its unobstructed deep-water ports present a strategic opportunity to site wind turbine component assembly and fabrication facilities as the industry continues to grow in the state.

To learn more about the offshore wind industry in the state, contact John Bourdeaux at 860.571.6206 or jbourdeaux@advancect.org.

Connecticut’s ambitious climate policy includes reducing greenhouse gasses by 45% by 2030 and achieving net zero carbon electricity by 2040.

Active Offshore Wind Projects

Improvements

New Haven Harbor Navigation Project

A $63 million deepening and widening effort undertaking by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that will create deeper and wider channels to increase the navigation efficiency and safety of New Haven Harbor. This project will dredge the main ship channel, maneuvering area, and turning basin to -40 feet mean lower low water and widen the main channel and turning basin to allow larger vessels to efficiently access the Port of New Haven’s terminals, the 2nd busiest port in New England.

Barnum Landing

AVANGRID Renewables is redeveloping an 18.3-acre waterfront industrial property in Bridgeport known as Barnum Landing that will host hundreds of local workers hired to do critical foundation transition piece steel fabrication and final outfitting. This redevelopment will build valuable Connecticut-based offshore wind capabilities along with a trained workforce prepared for future offshore wind projects. Bridgeport will be home to Park City Wind’s operations and maintenance hub for the 25+ years of the project which will bring many long-term offshore wind support jobs to southwestern Connecticut.

State Pier

The Connecticut Port Authority is making generational improvements to transform the State Pier in New London into a state-of-the-art heavy-lift capable port facility that will accommodate a wide variety of cargoes, including wind turbine generator staging and assembly, while maintaining its freight rail link. Construction is expected to be completed by 2023. Connecticut’s deep-water ports are particularly accessible to the existing federal Wind Energy Areas and future Northeast call areas as they have no overhead restrictions such as bridges or overhead power lines.

A Solid Foundation

Connecticut has been heavily involved in the initial startup of the industry in the U.S. with two early awarded offshore wind projects. The state continues to make substantial investments in its support infrastructure to accommodate the needs of the industry. All three of the state’s deep-water ports are undergoing significant upgrades and expansions to ensure that offshore wind companies can easily assemble, maintain, and service their wind farms. The State Pier in New London, Barnum Landing in Bridgeport, and the Port of New Haven are all set to become focal points of the offshore wind industry on the East Coast. Connecticut’s high-quality coastal and inland resources and infrastructure, combined with its long history and experience in servicing the maritime and aerospace industries, position the state to become an integral part of the developing offshore wind industry in the United States.

The Largest Maritime Hub in the Northeast & 2nd Largest on the East Coast

Connecticut’s shipbuilding and ship repairing industry employs nearly 11,800 personnel, the largest concentration in the Northeast and second largest among all East Coast states combined (EMSI, 2021). Access to this pool of talent and training institutions provide an optimal set of skills to ensure the sustainable development and operation of offshore wind power in Connecticut.

Offshore Wind Initiatives

Offshore Wind Strategic Study

Commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, Ørsted and Eversource, the study created a list of recommendations for how Connecticut can build on its existing strengths and advantages to capture future benefits of the offshore wind industry.

Embracing the Potential of Offshore Wind in Connecticut

Build Back Regional Challenge Proposal through the U.S. Economic Development Administration

The Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region, in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and other stakeholders, put together the initial proposal that was awarded $500,000 in round one funding, which will allow Connecticut to develop a more detailed plan for round two consideration. The coalition proposed six projects to support the offshore wind sector, including diversifying and expanding the supply chain, providing waterfront industrial sites for development, and bringing innovative new products to production.

$1B Build Back Better Regional Challenge

Offshore Wind Energy and Grid Integration Research at Eversource Energy Center

With an eye toward making Connecticut a national leader in clean energy, Eversource and UCONN extended their joint commitment to the Eversource Energy Center into 2028, with the goal of accelerating research and adoption of blended energy sources, including solar, wind, hydrogen, fuel cell, and hydro, and to further modernize the regional power grid. This commitment to state-of-the-art offshore wind research will also engage underrepresented minority undergraduate students in all areas of sustainable energy research.

Offshore Wind Energy and Grid Integration | A Partnership of UConn and Eversource

Connecticut Initiative on Environmental Research of Offshore Wind (CIEROW) at UCONN

CIEROW is an interdisciplinary team of scientists with expertise in offshore research, physical and biological oceanography, and fish and shellfish biology/ecology. The goal of the initiative is to conduct targeted research in marine environments potentially impacted by offshore wind energy industry while also supporting the industry with enhanced monitoring, data analytics and modeling capabilities to assess and predict the performance of wind energy generation.

https://marinesciences.uconn.edu/cierow/

Naval & Maritime Consortium (NMC)

The Naval & Maritime Consortium (NMC) is part of the ecosystem of support available for BlueTech companies in New England. Through mentorship, collaboration, and business networking, the NMC creates opportunities for growth, so that its members can capitalize on the national undersea, maritime, and offshore wind supply chains.

Naval & Maritime Consortium – Connecting Connecticut's Naval & Maritime Industries

Workforce Development

One of Connecticut’s greatest strengths lies in is its existing and organic manufacturing assets which are fully capable of attracting, growing, and retaining the offshore wind supply chain, including aerospace and maritime manufacturing capabilities and advanced technologies. The state has several effective programs that it uses to develop its workforce and has a knowledge and talent base that could expand to develop a steady pipeline of qualified and highly skilled workforce for the offshore wind industry. From high-technology services associated with the aerospace industry to its rich history of working in the maritime environment, most notably with the submarine base and the General Dynamics Electric Boat facility, as well as its talented engineering workforce, with several nationally recognized universities, Connecticut is well-suited to meet the varied needs of the offshore wind industry, from the planning and design phase, through to construction and implementation, and throughout its life cycle into the O&M phase.

The Governor’s Workforce Council

home to Offshore Wind Industry Leaders

Eversource and Avangrid are the two of the largest utility corporations in the northeastern U.S. and are heavily involved in the booming offshore wind industry off the coast of the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. Combined, they are involved in more than 1/3 of the active projects in U.S. territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to two deep water ports that are almost completely dedicated to servicing the offshore wind industry, Connecticut offers ease of access to both Avangrid and Eversource, located in Orange, CT and Hartford, CT respectively.

eversource

avangrid

Connecticut
is Leading the Way in Offshore Wind

Active Offshore Wind Projects

East Coast Offshore Wind Projects and Lease Areas

Revolution Wind

Park City Wind