Siemens to provide 3.6-MW turbines to Cape Wind and plans to open Boston office

Cape Wind announced today it has entered into an agreement with Siemens to supply 130 of its 3.6-Megawatt (MW) turbines for America’s first planned offshore wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts and, at the same time, Siemens also announced plans to open a U.S. Offshore Wind office in Boston.

“We are pleased to be working with Siemens which is a market leader in offshore wind and we are thrilled Siemens is bringing clean energy jobs to Massachusetts by opening up its U.S. Offshore Wind office in Boston.  This agreement between Cape Wind and Siemens represents a major step forward to jumpstarting the American offshore wind industry and increasing energy independence, creating a healthier environment while producing hundreds of green energy jobs,” said Jim Gordon, Cape Wind President.

The Siemens 3.6-MW offshore wind turbines are an industry ‘workhorse’ with 1,000 units sold and 150 units installed and successfully operating.

“While the onshore wind industry is well developed in the U.S., the United States offshore wind resources still offer a vast, untapped source of renewable energy potential. The final approval of the Cape Wind offshore wind farm will be key to the success of the offshore wind industry in the U.S.,” Randy Zwirn, President and CEO of Siemens Energy, Inc. stated.

“We understand that the Department of Interior is working hard to provide certainty to the project and we look forward to the decision.  It will signal to manufacturers and investors alike that the United States is a sustainability leader in its support for a clean, reliable energy supply and green jobs creation,” added Zwirn.

Zwirn also said Siemens, “will lay the first cornerstone of its U.S. offshore wind headquarters with the opening of an office in Boston on June 1, 2010, allowing the company to be closer to its U.S. customers.  Another reason it makes sense for us to open an office in Massachusetts is the forward thinking leadership of Governor Patrick and the Massachusetts Legislature in trying to make the state a global leader in clean energy development.”

Gerard Dhooge, President of the Boston & New England Maritime Trades Council, AFL-CIO, welcomed the news of the agreement between Cape Wind and Siemens, “Skilled maritime workers are ready to get to work to help install these wind turbines offshore Massachusetts and to build America’s first offshore wind farm.  Thirty to fifty percent of the members of the Maritime Trades Council are currently out of work so we need these jobs now more than ever.”

Siemens is the leading provider of offshore wind turbines for almost 20 years, since the world’s first offshore wind farm installed in 1991 in Vindeby, Denmark to the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Horns Rev II in the North Sea.  Siemens Wind Power also has a strong presence in the U.S. with approximately 1,000 employees and more than $100 million invested in two manufacturing locations for onshore wind turbines.

Cape Wind completed State and Local permitting in 2008 and is awaiting a final Federal permitting decision from U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar who has recently stated he will make his decision by the end of April.

Cape Wind’s proposal to build America’s first offshore wind farm on Horseshoe Shoal would provide three-quarters of the electricity used on Cape Cod and the Islands from clean, renewable energy – reducing this region’s need to import oil, coal and gas. Cape Wind will create new jobs, help stabilize electric costs, contribute to a healthier environment, increase energy independence and establish Massachusetts as a leader in offshore wind power.

[mappress]

Source: capewind, 31 March, 2010,