Empire Wind is being developed by Equinor, a leading energy company with more than 20 years of experience with offshore wind.

About SBMT  

The 73-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal – a historic home for New York City’s working waterfront – is set to transform into one of the nation’s largest dedicated port facilities for offshore wind in the U.S.  

SBMT will serve as the operations and maintenance (O&M) hub for Empire Wind 1 and will be the site of the project’s onshore substation. The port is being developed as a low-emissions facility with solar power and EV charging stations installed onsite. 

Transaction with bp

In January 2024, Equinor entered into a swap transaction with bp, under which Equinor will take full ownership of the Empire Wind lease and projects and bp will take full ownership of the Beacon Wind lease and projects.

Under the agreement, Equinor will take 100% ownership of Empire Offshore Wind Holdings LLC. Subject to certain conditions, Equinor will also take over bp’s 50% share of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) lease. Bp will take over Beacon Wind Holdings LLC and the associated project company that holds the Astoria Gateway for Renewable Energy site and will become the operator of the Beacon Wind projects. The transaction will be cash neutral, except for standard settlements of cash and working capital items.

Offtake Contract for Empire Wind 1

In June 2024, Equinor announced the execution of the Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for the renewable power generated by the Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project. This agreement follows NYSERDA’s announcement that Equinor had been selected as a conditional winner in New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation.

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