COEYMANS — GE recently announced its plan to construct two new manufacturing facilities at the Port of Coeymans, throwing its hat into the ring in what is the State’s ongoing solicitation for up offshore wind power.
To support localized content and New York’s vision to become the nation’s offshore wind manufacturing hub, GE proposed building the factories with Carver Companies just miles down the Hudson River from a planned wind turbine plant at the Port of Albany.
GE envisions both a blades and nacelle facility at the Port of Coeymans. But for both to come to fruition, the company said it needs to receive sufficient orders in ongoing solicitations.
According to a statement, GE said a subsidiary is ready to build a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture offshore wind turbine blades — promising to create approximately 650 direct jobs, with approximately 35 percent of those jobs coming from disadvantaged communities.
Approximately 900 additional indirect jobs and over 500 construction jobs would be created along with millions of dollars of related economic benefits.
The nacelle facility, which would house the generating components of a wind turbine, would create approximately 220 direct jobs. Another 35 percent of those jobs would focus on disadvantaged communities. Another 500 indirect jobs and approximately 500 more construction jobs would be created, GE stated.
The Schenectady-based company touted its proposal as holding potential to generate “millions of dollars” of related economic benefit.
“As a leading manufacturer and innovator in developing renewable energy technology, GE is ideally positioned to help New York secure its vision of becoming a leading manufacturing hub for offshore wind technology” said Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Vernova, GE’s portfolio of energy businesses. “Our proposal leverages GE’s unique and unparalleled expertise, resources, and track-record – including a 130-year legacy of manufacturing in New York – to make this vision a reality in a durable and sustainable way.”
GE’s proposal includes specific commitments to hire and train new employees from economically disadvantaged communities. For example, the company will launch an outreach program called Pathways to Wind to provide historically under-served communities exposure, education, and training in the emerging offshore wind industry.
In support of that program, GE has engaged 24 educational institutions, including Office of Workforce Development and Community Education at SUNY Schenectady County Community College and SEAT [Social Enterprise and Training] Center, and signed 15 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with New York entities that will enable the company to enhance diversity and inclusion in its efforts to staff the facilities.
GE’s approach to environmental compliance and mitigation will help to ensure that the development and operation of the offshore wind turbine blade and nacelle facilities at the Port of Coeymans will satisfy all federal, state, and local laws. Our approach also will contribute to the advancement of sustainable development practices in the state and beyond.
The two facilities would produce components for the next generation of GE’s Haliade-X offshore wind turbine. An earlier version of the Haliade-X was the first 12+ Megawatt (MW) turbine in the industry and the only one to have full-type certification to operate at 14.7 MW. That model of the Haliade-X has been operating for three years and has been selected by several customers, including for the 3.6 Gigawatt (GW) Dogger Bank Wind Farm. That project will be the largest in the world when completed. Others that have selected the earlier model include the 800 MW Vineyard Wind Project that will be the first large-scale offshore wind project in the United States, and the 1100 MW Ocean Wind 1 project. The next generation model of the Haliade-X builds off the proven platform of its predecessor but contains some design changes and upgrades.
GE Renewable Energy, an integral part of the GE Vernova portfolio of energy businesses, is a $16 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.
GE Vernova, a dynamic accelerator comprised of our Power, Renewable Energy, Digital and Energy Financial Services businesses, focused on supporting customers’ transformations during the energy transition.
