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Released April 18, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--After suspending offshore leases for wind energy, the U.S. government has ordered a halt to any construction activity already underway for the Empire Wind facility off the coast of Long Island.
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum took to the social media platform X to announce that he ordered the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) "to immediately halt all construction activities on the Empire Wind project until further review of information that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis."
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior approved at least eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects in federal waters and held five offshore wind lease sales, including offshore New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and the first-ever sales for the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Former President Joe Biden set a goal of establishing 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030 and another 15 GW in floating offshore capacity by 2035.
President Donald Trump signed an order in January that revoked leases to develop new offshore wind facilities and prohibited the renewal of existing wind energy leases. For existing leases, the order mandated that the Interior Department conduct a comprehensive review that would be ultimately submitted to the president.
It's not clear if Trump weighed in on the Empire Wind decision. There was no official announcement from the Interior Department or BOEM.
Erik Milito, the president of the National Ocean Industries Association, said that decades of experience show offshore industries can co-exist with marine activities, from tourism to military operations.
"We are committed to working closely and expeditiously with federal agencies, stakeholders, and the administration to quickly resolve any concerns and deliver energy solutions that align with national priorities," he said Wednesday.
Empire Wind is a joint venture between BP (NYSE:BP) (London, England) and Norwegian energy company Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) (Stavanger, Norway). Equinor told Reuters on Thursday it would comply with the order while at the same time seeking clarification for the administration's decision.
The facility was slated for an 80,000-acre site located some 15 miles south of Long Island. Its 816-megawatt (MW) design capacity would come from 54 Vestas V236-15 turbines.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for a detailed project report on Empire Wind.
IIR data show that construction was expected to begin in June with a completion set for December 2026.
The American Clean Power Association pounced on the suspension, meanwhile, saying that pulling the plug on a project already fully permitted for construction is another example of Trump's erratic policies.
"Doubling back to reconsider permits after projects are under construction sends a chilling signal to all energy investment," the association's Chief Executive Officer Jason Grumet said in a statement. "These political reversals are bad policy, whether applied to pipelines or wind farms."
Apart from Empire Wind, IIR Energy sees about $8.5 billion in total investment value for existing U.S. offshore wind. The largest is the 704-MW Block Island facility planned by Orsted A/S (Fredericia, Denmark). (See project report.)
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the data arm of the Energy Department, show total U.S. wind energy capacity is still on pace to expand by nearly 5% by next year.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum took to the social media platform X to announce that he ordered the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) "to immediately halt all construction activities on the Empire Wind project until further review of information that suggests the Biden administration rushed through its approval without sufficient analysis."
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior approved at least eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects in federal waters and held five offshore wind lease sales, including offshore New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and the first-ever sales for the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Former President Joe Biden set a goal of establishing 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030 and another 15 GW in floating offshore capacity by 2035.
President Donald Trump signed an order in January that revoked leases to develop new offshore wind facilities and prohibited the renewal of existing wind energy leases. For existing leases, the order mandated that the Interior Department conduct a comprehensive review that would be ultimately submitted to the president.
It's not clear if Trump weighed in on the Empire Wind decision. There was no official announcement from the Interior Department or BOEM.
Erik Milito, the president of the National Ocean Industries Association, said that decades of experience show offshore industries can co-exist with marine activities, from tourism to military operations.
"We are committed to working closely and expeditiously with federal agencies, stakeholders, and the administration to quickly resolve any concerns and deliver energy solutions that align with national priorities," he said Wednesday.
Empire Wind is a joint venture between BP (NYSE:BP) (London, England) and Norwegian energy company Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) (Stavanger, Norway). Equinor told Reuters on Thursday it would comply with the order while at the same time seeking clarification for the administration's decision.
The facility was slated for an 80,000-acre site located some 15 miles south of Long Island. Its 816-megawatt (MW) design capacity would come from 54 Vestas V236-15 turbines.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for a detailed project report on Empire Wind.
IIR data show that construction was expected to begin in June with a completion set for December 2026.
The American Clean Power Association pounced on the suspension, meanwhile, saying that pulling the plug on a project already fully permitted for construction is another example of Trump's erratic policies.
"Doubling back to reconsider permits after projects are under construction sends a chilling signal to all energy investment," the association's Chief Executive Officer Jason Grumet said in a statement. "These political reversals are bad policy, whether applied to pipelines or wind farms."
Apart from Empire Wind, IIR Energy sees about $8.5 billion in total investment value for existing U.S. offshore wind. The largest is the 704-MW Block Island facility planned by Orsted A/S (Fredericia, Denmark). (See project report.)
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the data arm of the Energy Department, show total U.S. wind energy capacity is still on pace to expand by nearly 5% by next year.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
