Ørsted's proposed 1,184-megawatt (MW) Starboard Wind project would deliver offshore wind energy at stable and affordable pricing for Rhode Island homeowners and businesses for decades. If selected, Starboard Wind would result in more than $1.1 billion of direct, private investment and expenditure in Rhode Island, which would come on top of Ørsted's existing investments and commitments in the state.
Ørsted and Eversource are currently constructing Revolution Wind, Rhode Island's first utility-scale offshore wind farm. Together with Starboard Wind, Ørsted's projects would satisfy as much as three-quarters of Rhode Island's electric demand, propelling the state toward its target of 100% clean energy by 2033.
"Rhode Island is the birthplace of offshore wind in America, and we're proud to have built a thriving hub for this new U.S. energy industry with our partners in the Ocean State," said David Hardy, Group EVP and CEO Americas at Ørsted.
Starboard Wind would create at least 3,800 full-time equivalent positions, nearly all of which would be based in Rhode Island. This includes more than 640 new direct jobs in the state, including 100 new local union construction jobs at ProvPort, where Ørsted has established an industry hub, to support the expanded construction of advanced foundation components as Rhode Island strengthens its position in the U.S. offshore wind supply chain.
In addition to new construction roles, Starboard Wind will directly create jobs across component assembly, operations and maintenance, engineering and other roles, as well as supporting hundreds of other jobs indirectly in Rhode Island by boosting local economic activity. The project would also employ union workers in neighboring New England states, driving regional benefits and collaboration.
Starboard Wind will deliver crucial port investments that build on Rhode Island's existing role in the offshore wind industry, while also advancing environmental justice and creating inclusive training and career opportunities for historically marginalized Rhode Islanders.
The project would fund a range of community investments and partnerships. This includes more than $40 million of direct investments in Rhode Island organizations to support the state's workforce and supplier diversity, inclusive workforce training, innovation and the Blue Economy, higher education and research, environmental justice efforts, and biodiversity.
Ørsted is a longtime leader in Rhode Island's Blue Economy and is proud to call Rhode Island home to both its co-U.S. headquarters and a regional operations and maintenance hub. Ørsted's plans for Starboard Wind are earning widespread support from community, business, labor, academic and environmental leaders across Rhode Island.
"For the past decade, Ørsted has been a model corporate citizen in Rhode Island, investing heavily in job training, port infrastructure, and workforce development. Now, as we look to continue our state's leadership in offshore wind, Ørsted's Starboard Wind proposal stands apart," said Laurie White, President of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce.
"For several years, Ørsted has been a reliable partner for URI, collaborating in research and hiring our graduates," said Marc B. Parlange, President of the University of Rhode Island. "At the same time, Ørsted has shown a commitment to helping Rhode Island address climate change — a mission that we share at URI — and to partnering with Rhode Island institutions to help meet our ambitious clean energy goals."
"CCRI is one of Rhode Island's leading engines for workforce development, and our partnerships with Ørsted have laid the foundation for CCRI graduates to help lead America's clean energy revolution," said Dr. Rosemary A. Costigan, Interim President of the Community College of Rhode Island. "From a new state-of-the-art Global Wind Organization safety training center at CCRI to nation-leading workforce development initiatives, Ørsted's investments in Rhode Island have helped position the Ocean State at the center of the nation's offshore wind industry, and their Starboard Wind project will build on that progress and create good-paying jobs for the next generation of CCRI students."
Under Governor Dan McKee's leadership, Rhode Island is building on its position as home to America's first offshore wind farm, Ørsted's Block Island Wind Farm, as well as the most ambitious clean energy target in the nation. Onshore construction is underway for the 704 MW Revolution Wind project and offshore construction is expected to start in the months ahead. Revolution Wind will deliver 400 megawatts of clean, affordable offshore wind power to nearly 200,000 Rhode Island homes. The project is expected to be operational in 2025.
