Leading Light Wind Submits Offshore Wind Project Bid in New Jersey, Expands American-Led Vision to Chart a Clean Energy Future

Leading Light Wind can power New Jersey with up to 2,400 MW of clean energy – enough for up to 1 million homes

Proposal represents over $3 billion in economic development benefits for New Jersey, including transformational offshore wind infrastructure and supply chain investments

Bid advances an equitable energy transition across the Garden State through an Energy Equity Credit and a labor union Memorandum of Understanding

TRENTON, N.J., Aug. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Leading Light Wind––the only American-led project in the New York Bight––submitted its offshore wind project bid to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU). New Jersey's third competitive offshore wind solicitation represents a significant milestone toward achieving the state's ambitious goal of 11 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2040. Leading Light Wind proposes to deliver up to 2,400 megawatts (MW) of clean energy to the state — advancing public health, resilience, job creation, energy independence, and economic development benefits across New Jersey.

Leading Light Wind is a bold proposal to help meet New Jersey's energy goals and advance a domestic offshore wind industry. The project will sit more than 40 miles off the coast. It will power up to 1 million New Jersey homes and improve health outcomes by offsetting over 4 million tons of carbon dioxide annually during its operation. Leading Light Wind will also support thousands of family-sustaining jobs over its operational life and represents over $3 billion in economic development benefits for the Garden State, including transformational offshore wind infrastructure and supply chain investments. Leading Light Wind is a partnership between lead developer Invenergy and co-developer energyRe.

"Leading Light Wind exemplifies Invenergy's dedication to American-led energy innovation and our unmatched ability to increase U.S. competitiveness in the offshore wind market," said Bryan Schueler, Senior Executive Vice President, and Construction Business Leader for Invenergy. "With strong partners in New Jersey, we are committed to delivering the benefits of the clean energy economy to Garden State residents for generations to come."  

"Leading Light Wind is ready to build out a world-leading domestic offshore wind industry with American-led ingenuity and expertise," said Ryan Brown, Chief Operating Officer for energyRe. "Our proposal for New Jersey represents critical investments in energy infrastructure, local resiliency, and a just transition to a green economy. energyRe is proud to help chart a clean energy future for the Garden State."

Leading Light Wind is proposing supply chain and infrastructure investments that include localizing a wind turbine generator (WTG) tower manufacturing facility and performing marshalling activities at the New Jersey Wind Port; the expansion of the EEW American Offshore Structures monopile manufacturing facility; and development of an in-state operations and maintenance port. The proposal also includes a battery storage option that would provide 253 MW of advanced energy storage to facilitate grid and ratepayer benefits, advancing New Jersey's ambitious 2 GW energy storage target. 

To support local workforce development, Leading Light Wind signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with five New Jersey labor unions that prioritizes union construction for the project and supports lifelong career opportunities in the offshore wind sector. The MOU also endorses hiring and training practices to promote a diverse, next-generation workforce. As a part of Leading Light Wind's larger community benefits program, the project has also formed strategic partnerships with several educational, career, and workforce institutions across the Garden State. 

If awarded, Leading Light Wind is committed to building an equitable offshore wind industry in New Jersey, and will establish a statewide community benefits program with up to $150 million in funding to empower local communities, build an inclusive workforce, accelerate the domestic offshore wind supply chain, and pioneer industry-leading and collaborative environmental research. The community benefits program features 25 initial partnership and program opportunities including the following key initiatives:

• Energy Equity Credit: To reduce energy burden across the state, Leading Light Wind is proposing an innovative program that would lower the electricity bills for more than 200,000 low-income households in New Jersey.
• Waves to Wind: To prepare small businesses for success in New Jersey's growing offshore wind sector, Leading Light Wind will create the Waves to Wind (W2W) program, a catalytic training program focused on capacity-building and technical training to position existing Small, Minority, Woman, and Veteran-owned Business Enterprises (SMWVBEs) in New Jersey for success in the state's growing offshore wind sector.
• Leading Light Wind Fisheries Accelerator Fund: This fund is uniquely designed to directly benefit the fisheries community by providing financial assistance to support emerging technologies, and initiatives that have the potential to improve the efficiency, sustainability, or economic vitality of the fishing industry.
• Community-Based Partnerships: Leading Light Wind is also pursuing partnerships with local community-based organizations and institutions such as the Liberty Science Center, Rowan University, Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Waterfront Alliance, Gotham Whale, Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County, Zeem Solutions and more.  

Leading Light Wind recognizes that meaningful, robust, and ongoing engagement with regulators, Tribal Nations, and stakeholders is critical to New Jersey's offshore wind program. As a committed industry partner and good neighbor, Leading Light Wind will prioritize stakeholder engagement throughout every stage of the project and is engaging with critical marine and fisheries stakeholders to ensure a burgeoning offshore wind industry can thrive alongside existing marine economies and resources.

Leading Light Wind builds upon Invenergy and energyRe's record of proven partnership, including the development of Clean Path NY – a landmark clean energy infrastructure project combining a new 175-mile state-of-the-art 1,300 MW HVDC underground transmission line with more than 3,800 MW of new wind and solar power in New York. Additionally, Invenergy is the only American-led company currently developing a multi-project portfolio of offshore wind across U.S. coasts following its recent acquisition of an offshore wind lease from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) off the coast of central California.

A word from our partners:

"We fully support Leading Light Wind and are committed to working alongside them as they invest in the health and resiliency of New Jersey's most vulnerable and overburdened communities," said John E. Harmon, Sr., IOM, founder, President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. "Through their Waves to Wind program, Leading Light Wind will build an equitable offshore wind industry that prioritizes community-focused investments and critical technical assistance programs for SMWVBEs."

"The Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey is thrilled to support Leading Light Wind's clean energy solutions and mission to diversify the green energy workforce. Through critical investments in New Jersey's small businesses through their Waves 2 Wind program, Leading Light Wind will be an invaluable partner to our economic and workforce development goals and the communities we support," said Dr. Jairo Borja, Vice President, Corporate & Entrepreneurial Programs from the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce New Jersey.

"IBEW is proud to be a partner of Leading Light Wind, working together to advance clean energy solutions and create a brighter future for New Jersey," saidEd Hill Jr., International Representative of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. "Our highly trained and skilled electricians are eager to contribute their expertise in integrating renewable energy into the grid, powering homes and businesses with reliable and sustainable electricity." 

"We are excited to partner with American-led Leading Light Wind in support of their bid into New Jersey's third offshore wind solicitation which, if successful, will enable EEW AOS's Paulsboro monopile facility expansion," said Lee Laurendeau, CEO of EEW-AOS. "This will create significant family-sustaining jobs and economic opportunity for New Jerseyans. I thank Leading Light Wind for prioritizing domestic manufacturing as we work hand in hand to make New Jersey the cornerstone of this important new industry."

"With the inclusion of the Energy Equity Credit in their proposal, Leading Light Wind has demonstrated a commitment to the families that New Jersey SHARES works to serve every day and we look forward to learning more about Leading Light Wind's innovative Energy Equity Credit as one more tool to support energy-burdened New Jersey families," saidCheryl Stowell from New Jersey SHARES.

"Environmental equality and STEM education go hand in hand as we try to create a more equitable, clean energy future for all," said Douglas Eagles, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monmouth County. "Our partnership with Leading Light Wind will provide funding to support our STEM education programs for youth in many of the communities we serve including Asbury Park, Red Bank, Neptune, and Long Branch and enable parents to participate in workforce training programs. It is crucial to ensure that local communities have access to resources, education, and opportunities in the clean energy transition."

"Fostering a longstanding industry to reliably meet New Jersey's clean energy needs begins with coordinated investments in job training and education," said Anthony Lowman, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs for Rowan University. "With the support of Leading Light Wind, we have the critical opportunity to advance research partnerships and construction management programs across the State."

"Rowan College of South Jersey is proud to work with Leading Light Wind to drive innovation in offshore wind technology and training through our wind turbine technician program," said Brenden Rickards, Ph.D., Vice President and Provost of Rowan College of South Jersey. "Leading Light Wind's support will help foster our mission to expand access to green workforce and clean energy educational opportunities across South Jersey."

"A partnership with NJIT demonstrates Leading Light Wind's commitment to comprehensive supply chain and research opportunities that will support the long-term sustainability of offshore wind. As New Jersey's only public polytechnic research university, NJIT offers vast resources to educate the next generation of offshore wind engineers, innovators, and leaders," said Dr. Teik C. Lim, President of New Jersey Institute of Technology. "We're proud to collaborate with Leading Light Wind as we further our longstanding commitment to increasing access to rewarding and productive STEM careers."

"New Jersey's bold clean energy goals create a historic opportunity to advance access to family-supporting jobs and careers. New Jersey's Community Colleges, through our Center of Workforce Innovation for Offshore Wind, are committed to partnering with Leading Light Wind and the entire industry to build an inclusive, skilled workforce for the thousands of future job opportunities," saidCatherine F. Starghill, Esq., Executive Director from New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. 

"Leading Light Wind will bring wide-ranging, long-term economic benefits throughout South Jersey and beyond," saidChristina Renna, President & CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. "We fully support this project and are excited to support the expansion of a sustainable, reliable offshore wind industry driven by the contributions of our South Jersey small and mid-sized businesses."

"The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce is proud to support Leading Light Wind, a project that will bring wide-ranging, long-term investment and opportunities for New Jersey businesses and communities," saidMichael Egenton, EVP, Government Relations, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. "We fully support this project and New Jersey offshore wind as a whole, as a transformative opportunity for New Jersey businesses to grow to support this new industry."

"Newlab is focused on accelerating critical technologies to market by helping to break down barriers deep-tech companies face. We are excited to partner with Leading Light Wind to establish a platform focused on advancing early-stage offshore wind-related technologies through real-world testing and collaborative projects that bring together startups and key players across the offshore wind value chain to derisk new technologies and commercial models," saidLiz Keen, Chief Business Officer, Newlab.

"Leading Light Wind was a presenting partner in our New Jersey Clean Energy DEIJ Day and New Jersey Environmental Justice Bus Tour. Activations such as these showcase stakeholders like Leading Light Wind who are advancing offshore wind supplier diversity, workforce development, and community investments that benefit New Jersey residents and businesses across the state," says lifelong New Jersey resident Brian Moore, Supply Chain + Economic Development Manager for economic development and social equity development firm MRV Group. "We congratulate Leading Light Wind for their state submission to the BPU and are excited for the future of New Jersey for a just and equitable clean energy transition for all." 

"Waterfront Alliance's partnership with Leading Light Wind will establish a grant program that allows us to provide customized solutions to revitalize and sustain waterfronts in the region including maritime activation to better connect people to their local waterfront," said Cortney Koenig Worrall, President and CEO, Waterfront Alliance. "Environmental justice communities in New Jersey are deserving of smart plans for maritime activation, public access, resilience, and economic development through funding small-scale planning projects. We are excited to partner with Leading Light Wind to advance responsible offshore wind development that brings waterfront benefits to environmental justice communities and boosts resiliency in local communities as we transition to a clean energy future. We are proud that Leading Light Wind has committed to designing port facilities that adhere to Waterfront Alliance's rigorous Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) standards for ecology and mitigating climate impacts to coastal infrastructure. This commitment ensures that Waterfront Alliance can verify the resilience, ecological, and public access benefits in communities where waterfront operations take place."

"Gotham Whale's partnership with Leading Light Wind allows us to increase our funding of ongoing marine mammal data collection, citizen science efforts, and youth education programs. We are dedicated to improving the health of the marine environment in the New York Bight through education, advocacy, and science – so we are thrilled to be a Leading Light Wind community partner because they have shown their commitment to including marine stakeholders in their project and ensuring environmentally responsible offshore wind development," saidPaul L. Sieswerda, Executive Director, Gotham Whale. 

"Partnering with Leading Light Wind will allow us to expand professional development trainings for teachers in New Jersey, bring experiential environmental programming to schools, and cultivate workforce pathways in green careers for rising high school seniors," saidTara Stafford Ocansey, Executive Director, Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation. "The Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation is committed to establishing sustainability as an integral part of every child's K-12 learning experience, and this partnership underscores the importance of youth STEM education to build a sustainable clean energy future." 

"Our partnership with Leading Light Wind will help drive the electrification of New Jersey's commercial fleets, reduce harmful fossil fuel emissions and air pollution, and make a positive impact on the environment and the health of communities in the region," said Paul Gioupis of Zeem Solutions. "We are dedicated to advancing clean mobility projects in the state, and together with Leading Light Wind, we are committed to improving air quality in overburdened communities. This collaboration is a significant milestone towards a sustainable future for New Jersey."

About Leading Light Wind
Leading Light Wind is an American-led offshore wind project that will bring locally sourced, renewable energy to the East Coast. A partnership between lead developer Invenergy and co-developer energyRe, we believe in empowering the communities where we live and work. Leading Light Wind will build on our track record of impactful community engagement and innovation in sustainable American infrastructure to advance public health, create good-paying jobs, and support our local supply chain. Learn more at leadinglightwind.com.

About Invenergy
Invenergy drives innovation in energy. Invenergy and its affiliated companies develop, own, and operate large-scale renewable and other clean energy generation and storage facilities in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Invenergy's home office is located in Chicago, and it has regional development offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Japan, Poland, and Scotland.

Invenergy and its affiliated companies have successfully developed more than 30,000 megawatts of projects that are in operation, construction, or contracted, including wind, solar, transmission infrastructure and natural gas power generation and advanced energy storage projects. Learn about Invenergy at Invenergy.com.

About energyRe
energyRe, LLC is a leading independent energy company focused on solving complex sustainability challenges and providing clean energy solutions in utility-scale offshore and onshore wind and solar generation, energy storage, transmission, and distributed generation. Guided by the principles of innovation and partnership and backed by expertise and experience, energyRe is committed to creating a reliable, renewable energy future for all. energyRe has offices in New York, Houston, Indianapolis, and Charleston. For more information about energyRe, visit www.energyre.com. 

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