Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind Announces Partnership with Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ (May 16, 2019) – Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind will support academic research activities related to offshore wind at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed today.
Under the agreement, Ørsted will make an initial contribution to the university, followed by additional funding contingent upon being granted an OREC application by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU). Ørsted submitted an application for its Ocean Wind project to the NJBPU in December 2018 to develop the first offshore wind farm in the state. The announcement for the award is expected from the NJBPU in summer 2019.
“Rutgers University is a premiere institution that can provide us with ongoing research that will help propel the New Jersey offshore wind industry forward,” said Thomas Brostrøm, CEO of Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind and president of Ørsted North America. “We are very happy to partner with them as we progress with our Ocean Wind project.”
The MOU was signed through Rutgers’ Corporate Engagement Center, a joint effort between the university’s Office of Research and Economic Development and Rutgers University Foundation, and will support research conducted at the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL). Part of the Department of Marine and Coastal Science, RUCOOL is dedicated to discovering, communicating about and providing access to the world’s ocean through interdisciplinary scientific research, education, and outreach programs.
“As a coastal state, New Jersey is perfectly situated to lead in offshore wind development and to pave the way for developing more sustainable, renewable energy sources to reduce our carbon footprint. At Rutgers, we are committed to leveraging our research capabilities, working with state partners, and providing the best possible science to build offshore wind responsibly,” said S. David Kimball, PhD, Interim Senior Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Rutgers. “Partnerships like this one with Ørsted allow us to enhance our research projects related to offshore wind and provide an opportunity to actively participate in the launch of a new industry that can have far-reaching economic benefits for our state.”
Located 15 miles off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Ocean Wind will create more than 1,000 jobs during construction and is able to power more than 500,000 homes in the state.
About Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind
Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind delivers clean, renewable energy along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. The company operates Block Island Wind Farm, America’s first offshore wind farm, and has a comprehensive geographic coverage with the largest pipeline of development capacity, totaling over 8GW in seven states. It is jointly headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island and employs over 75 people.
About Ørsted
The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and innovative waste-to-energy solutions and provides smart energy products to its customers. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs 6,080 people. Ørsted’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2018,
the group’s revenue was DKK 76.9 billion (EUR 10.7 billion). For more information on Ørsted, visit orsted.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
About Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the state of New Jersey’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Established in 1766, the university is the eighth oldest higher education institution in the United States. More than 70,000 students and 23,400 full- and part-time faculty and staff learn, work, and serve the public at Rutgers locations across New Jersey and around the world.