With the snip of a ribbon last evening, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Stephen Pike welcomed EnBW North America to the Commonwealth, joining legislative, environmental, labor, business, and community leaders to officially open the German subsidiary’s second US office and marking its entrance into the booming New England clean energy community.

“Massachusetts is proud to be have procured the first large-scale offshore wind project in the nation and recently doubled its commitment to pursue 3200 Megawatts of clean, cost-effective offshore wind power,” Governor Charlie Baker said in a statement. “We congratulate EnBW North America on the opening of their new office in Massachusetts, and are pleased to welcome them as the Commonwealth continues to build a national hub for offshore wind.”

“EnBW North America is thrilled to locate here in Boston,” Managing Director Bill White said. “We intend to compete to build affordable offshore wind projects in New England, and we’re particularly encouraged by the bi-partisan leadership from the governors of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine in advancing offshore wind in the region. EnBW North America is proud to bring our expertise as an experienced German offshore wind developer as states mandate more clean energy in order to respond to the climate change challenge.”

Prior to taking the reins at EnBW North America, White was Senior Director of Offshore Wind Sector Development at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), where he helped lead the development of the Massachusetts offshore wind market.

“Massachusetts is pleased to welcome an experienced offshore wind developer in EnBW to the Commonwealth,” said MassCEC CEO Stephen Pike. “There is no one more knowledgeable about the East Coast offshore wind market than Bill White, who is an excellent choice to lead EnBW’s North American business. We congratulate EnBW for opening its new office in Boston.”

Grounded in nearly a decade of European offshore wind experience by its parent company EnBW AG, EnBW North America is committed to supplying US consumers and businesses with clean, renewable electricity at an affordable price. Developer of Germany’s first commercial offshore wind project in 2011, EnBW AG is currently installing Germany’s largest offshore wind farm and is developing a 900 MW project in the North Sea that will be built without public subsidy. The German utility is a leading European offshore wind developer with a portfolio of nearly 1,000 MW of offshore wind projects under operation or construction in Europe.

“By combining our unique blend of German engineering expertise with the Boston team’s know-how in energy policy and community engagement, we are well positioned to help advance goals for clean energy, economic development, and environmental stewardship here in the Northeast,” said Stefan Kansy, EnBW’s Director of New Projects (power generation). “Establishing the Boston office is a major milestone for our company, as we put a firm stake in the ground to pursue offshore wind opportunities in the region.”

Last month, EnBW North America opened its first US office in Jersey City, where it is pursuing opportunities in the New Jersey/New York market. The company is preparing to participate in the federal Bureau of Offshore Energy Management (BOEM) lease auction for offshore wind areas in the New York Bight early next year. In New England, EnBW North America participated in last December’s BOEM auction for offshore lease areas off the Massachusetts coast, competing through the last round of bidding on the three sites. EnBW North America has been helping to advance offshore wind planning in Northern New England and became the first offshore wind developer to join Clean Energy New Hampshire.