Aug 03 | 2021
(Americas) Maryland Plans Include Steel Manufacturing, Deployment Hub
By Paul Scott Abbott
Plans for development of offshore wind energy infrastructure off the coast of Maryland include a steel fabrication facility to be built in Baltimore County, as well as a waterfront deployment hub.
The Maryland advances, announced Tuesday, are among the latest steps forward as the U.S. looks to meet aggressive Biden administration goals to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy production by 2030.
Plans of Baltimore-based US Wind, a unit of a subsidiary of Chieti, Italy-headquartered Toto Holding SpA, are aimed at initially serving the first 22-turbine phase of development of the MarWin project on an 80,000-acre lease area off Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Named Momentum Wind, the site may ultimately support 82 turbines generating as many as 1.5 gigawatts of annual energy production, according to US Wind executives.
The US$150 million Sparrows Point Steel fabrication facility, which will manufacture monopiles to serve as foundations for offshore wind tower installations, is to be built on Tradepoint Atlantic property that formerly was home to a Bethlehem Steel plant.
US Wind also announced a port facility agreement with Tradepoint Atlantic, a 3,300-acre multimodal logistics and industrial center a dozen miles southeast of downtown Baltimore. The agreement, backed by an initial US Wind investment of US$77 million, calls for development of 90 waterfront acres to serve as deployment hub for the offshore endeavor.“The combination of expanding offshore wind and welcoming steel back to Sparrows Point is truly a full-circle moment for Tradepoint Atlantic,” said Kerry Doyle, Tradepoint Atlantic’s managing director. “US Wind’s vision for the future and commitment to establishing critical elements of the offshore wind supply chain at Tradepoint Atlantic is transformational, and we look forward to partnering with them for many years to come. As Marylanders, we should be very proud: Offshore wind is here, and steel is back.”
US Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski also announced agreements with United Steelworkers and other unions to furnish labor. He estimated the undertaking will provide about 3,500 direct construction jobs and, upon completion, support more than 500 permanent operational jobs.
“Because of the successes we’ve achieved in the development of MarWin, US Wind is ready to offer Maryland its most ambitious clean energy project to date and, with it, the state’s first permanent offshore wind steel fabrication facility,” Grybowski said. “Developing Momentum Wind and Sparrows Point Steel at full capacity will give Maryland the opportunity to bring steel back to Baltimore and become the epicenter of offshore wind manufacturing.”
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, one of several public officials speaking at the announcement event, commented, “The State of Maryland is proud to support this transformative and game-changing partnership between US Wind and Tradepoint Atlantic, two of the leaders of Maryland’s economic turnaround.
“Offshore wind presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to expand and diversify our economy and our energy portfolio,” Hogan continued. “Maryland is proud to continue to be an example of strong environmental leadership, and I am confident that we will be a leader in offshore wind development for decades to come.”
Comprehensive coverage of U.S. offshore wind energy progress is slated to appear in 2021 Issue 5 of Breakbulk magazine, as well as a conference session at Breakbulk Americas, Sept. 28-30, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.
CUTLINE: Images are renderings depicting the Sparrows Point Steel facility, planned for Baltimore County, Maryland, for fabrication of offshore wind energy foundations.
CREDIT: SW Communications
