US Wind, developer of the MarWin and Momentum Wind projects in Maryland, has partnered with Spanish offshore wind monopile and tower manufacturer Haizea Wind Group to build Sparrows Point Steel, the state’s first permanent offshore wind facility. to manage and operate.
The new Baltimore County facility will be used to manufacture steel components for the US offshore wind industry, including monopiles and towers, with US Wind being among the first to source components from the facility.
Sparrows Point Steel has the potential to become one of the largest offshore wind staging ports in the US, according to US Wind, which says the facility will have significant shunting and storage space, as well as significant wharf access and an adjacent dry dock.
The site was once the world’s largest steelmaking facility when operated by Bethlehem Steel and has special historical significance for the United Steelworkers, who will support manufacturing operations at the new facility, says the developer.
Last year, US Wind awarded Wood Thilsted a contract for the detailed foundation design for its two projects, which includes assisting with the development of the Sparrows Point Steel facility.
Now, with the newly formed partnership with Haizea, the development and operation of the site will create one of the best offshore wind power plants in the world, according to US Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski.
“Sparrows Point Steel, located on nearly 100 acres of water in Baltimore County, is poised to become the premier offshore wind power logistics and manufacturing shipyard on the East Coast. Haizea’s extensive knowledge and expertise will solidify Maryland’s role as the center of offshore wind power production in the United States.”, Jeffrey Grybowski called.
US Wind acquired the 80,000-acre federal lease off the coast of Maryland in 2014. In 2017, the company received Offshore Renewable Energy Credits (ORECs) for the first phase of its planned development, called MarWin. In 2021, the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) awarded ORECs to US Wind for the second phase, Momentum Wind.
The MarWin project will have an installed capacity of 270 MW and is expected to go online in 2024. The 808.5 MW Momentum Wind is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026.
Last year, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) initiated the state permitting process for US Wind’s Maryland lease area, which includes both MarWin and Momentum Wind, and all subsequent developments within the area.
According to US Wind’s Construction and Operational Plan (COP), the company’s development in the state, referred to in the documentation as the Maryland Offshore Wind Project, includes the installation of up to 121 turbines and up to four offshore substations to accommodate a Generation capacity to be installed between 1.1 GW and 2 GW.
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