Expanded Footprint and New Hires Are Part of Ørsted’s $1.5 Billion Continued Investment in Ocean State
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – AUGUST 29, 2024 – America’s offshore wind leader Ørsted is significantly expanding its U.S. co-headquarters in Rhode Island, including announcing its new U.S. Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Hub in the Ocean State.
Ørsted, which has maintained its co-HQ in Rhode Island for more than six years, will move from its longtime Exchange Terrace location to a larger, 17,470-square foot location at 500 Exchange Street in the heart of downtown Providence, where it expects to more than double its headcount in the state in the years ahead.
“As the birthplace for America’s offshore wind industry, Rhode Island has always been a focal point for our company’s U.S. operations,” said David Hardy, Group EVP and CEO Americas at Ørsted. “We are proud of the role Ørsted has played over the years helping establish the Ocean State as a national leader in clean energy. We look forward to opening the doors to our new, expanded space in downtown Providence as we continue building Revolution Wind and solidify our hub in the Northeast, which includes port facilities, workforce training, and much more.”
As part of its more than $20 billion investment into American energy, Ørsted has invested more than $1.5 billion in Rhode Island as it expands its Northeast portfolio of offshore wind projects. The company employs nearly 100 Rhode Island-based employees, including at its regional Operations and Maintenance Hub in Quonset Business Park, in North Kingstown, R.I.
Ørsted’s expanded co-HQ in Providence is expected to open this winter, and will be home to the company’s existing workers in the area as well as new, full-time EPC employees and other positions to be hired in the near future.
Ørsted is proud to be Rhode Island’s longtime offshore wind leader. Ørsted operates the Block Island Wind Farm, America’s first offshore wind farm. Offshore construction is underway now onRevolution Wind, the state’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm. Revolution Wind is directly creating roughly 1,200 jobs across Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Ørsted’s investments in Rhode Island have catalyzed the state’s blue economy, which now features a thriving industry cluster at CIC Providence, assembly and operations hubs across the state, and a base for America’s first offshore wind Service Operations Vessel.
Ørsted’s investments in Rhode Island include $100 million to create an offshore wind manufacturing hub at ProvPort; a nearly $2 million investmentsupporting improvements to Quonset State Airport; and the creation of the state’s first Global Wind Organisation (GWO) certification program at the Community College of Rhode Island.
“Ørsted’s commitment to growing its presence here in the capital city further underscores Providence’s status as a national leader in the blue economy,” said Mayor Brett P. Smiley. “My Administration is deeply committed to building a more sustainable, resilient city and Ørsted’s new Engineering, Procurement and Construction Hub is an exciting step in cementing Providence as a center for the clean energy sector.”
“Nearly a decade ago, Ørsted helped us build a new American industry right here in Rhode Island. Now, as offshore wind continues to grow, we’re thrilled that this model corporate citizen is doubling down on the Ocean State,” saidLaurie White, President of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. “By choosing Providence for their U.S. Engineering, Procurement and Construction Hub, Ørsted is once again ensuring our state remains at the center of America’s clean energy revolution – and the thousands of jobs that come with it.”
“Ørsted is exactly the type of employer we love to have in Providence – a leader in a cutting-edge industry with a growing footprint, a commitment to local hiring, and a track record of investing in, and supporting, our community,” said David Salvatore, Executive Director of the Providence Foundation. “We’re so excited to see them expanding their presence in our Capital City and look forward to our continued partnership in the years ahead.”
Ørsted is proposing a new Rhode Island offshore wind project, Starboard Wind, which would deliver clean and reliable offshore wind energy at stable and affordable pricing for Rhode Island homeowners and businesses for decades. If selected, Starboard Wind would result in more than $1.1 billion of direct, private investment and expenditure in Rhode Island, which would come on top of Ørsted’s existing investments and commitments in the state.
About Ørsted
A global clean energy leader, Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates offshore and land-based wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants. Ørsted was the first energy company in the world to have its science-based net-zero emissions target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and is recognized as the world’s most sustainable energy developer in the Corporate Knights Global 100 index.
In the United States, the company has a portfolio of clean energy assets and partnerships that includes offshore wind energy, land-based wind energy, solar, battery storage and e-fuels. Ørsted is a U.S. leader in offshore wind energy with approximately 3 gigawatts in development and operates America’s first offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Block Island. Ørsted has a total U.S. land-based capacity of 5 gigawatts across wind, solar, storage technologies and e-fuels. To learn more about the Ørsted U.S. business, visit us.orsted.com or follow the company on Twitter (@OrstedUS), Instagram, and Facebook.
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