The Offshore Wind Innovation Hub (OWIH) in Brooklyn in the U.S. state of New York has announced its first call to find start-ups that can provide innovative technology and solutions related to the development of offshore wind in New York, according to a statement. Successful applicants will have access to the OWIH’s co-working space in Industry City, as well as a six-month intensive mentoring and business development program beginning in June 2023. “We’re looking for New York’s best,” commented Dave Lawler, chairman and president of bp America, in the statement. “We know innovation is in New Yorkers’ DNA. At this incredible moment for growing offshore wind in our country, we want to empower New York’s startups to lead the nation.”
The three-year initiative is backed by the global energy companies Equinor and bp, together with the Urban Future Lab (UFL), the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and the National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium (NOWRDC). Funding for the Consortium comes from the U.S. Department of Energy and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), with each providing 20.5 million US dollars. Contributions from the Commonwealths of Virginia and Massachusetts and the States of Maryland and Maine, and New Jersey, bring total investment to approximately 47 million dollars.
Equinor is the operator of the project on behalf of its 50-50 strategic partnership with bp. Together, the partners are developing the Beacon Wind and Empire Wind projects, which will supply 3.3 gigawatts of renewable energy to New York – enough to power nearly two million homes, according to the statement.
