Publications and Research
Document Type
Working Paper
Publication Date
5-2024
Abstract
This paper explores how the strategic expansion of offshore wind energy in the United States will reshape the waterfront of New York City, with a specific focus on the borough of Brooklyn. The U.S. Federal government has committed to developing a robust offshore wind industry along the East Coast, and several State governments in this region have made their own commitments to receive significant amounts of energy from offshore wind facilities. This emerging industry will potentially invest billions of dollars into new infrastructure and could lead to the creation of thousands of new jobs. However, the offshore wind industry in the United States is still in its infancy, and has experienced a number of growing pains in recent years.
In New York State, 2024 has already seen the sudden cancellation of several large offshore wind proposals. This has directly affected sites on New York City’s waterfront, which had been proposed for development in support of this new industry. A significant portion of the city’s proposed waterfront sites are located in Brooklyn, and this paper considers the socioeconomic impacts of the offshore wind industry on that borough, in terms of infrastructure development and job creation.
The largest offshore wind staging port in New York is now under construction at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, a long-dormant waterfront site in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The impacts of that project alone will be enormous, but the city and state have mapped out dozens of other Brooklyn sites that could also be involved in this nascent industry, including ports, docks, maritime businesses, and training facilities.
The projects, proposals, maps, and timelines considered in this paper will evolve in the coming months and years, as the offshore wind industry continues to develop. The authors of this paper have provided information that is accurate as of the date of publication. They have also noted throughout the paper the pieces of information that could change in the future.
Comments
Commissioned by and prepared for the 2024 Annual Conference of the Brooklyn Waterfront Research Center (BWRC). Nathan Kensinger was BWRC 2023-2024 Research Fellow. Alex Diaz-Casos was the BWRC Senior Project Coordinator