By Philip Walzer
The Virginia Offshore Wind Landing, a collaborative space where companies can connect and access resources to join the region's maritime network and growing offshore wind industry, opened Wednesday in Norfolk's World Trade Center.
The operation represents a joint venture among Old Dominion University's OpenSeas Technology Innovation Hub, the Hampton Roads Alliance and the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy. ODU's OpenSeas hub works with individuals and companies as they seek innovative solutions to problems in the maritime and coastal arenas.
The goal of The Landing is to develop a cluster of offshore wind companies and foster the growth of Hampton Roads and Virginia as an innovation and supply chain hub for offshore wind industry. It will also offer companies that see the value of offshore wind industry in Hampton Roads a way to establish a physical presence in the region and tap into a network of peers and potential business partners.
"This venture represents another example of ODU's commitment to support the region's growing maritime and offshore wind industries through partnerships with the Alliance and other organizations," President John R. Broderick said. "We are excited at this next step toward making Hampton Roads a leader in offshore wind and creating new, clean power to meet the needs of the country."
Doug Smith, president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance, said: "With development of Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project and Avangrid Renewables' Kitty Hawk Offshore Wind project, Virginia is now on a trajectory to lead offshore wind development in the U.S.
"The commonwealth is also a natural fit to become a supply chain hub for the offshore wind industry with our best-in-class port infrastructure, a centrally located and capable workforce and a supportive business and regulatory climate. The Virginia Offshore Wind Landing will allow Hampton Roads to fully leverage these projects and our unmatched assets."
Jennifer Palestrant, chief deputy of Virginia's Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, said: "As the state looks to welcome the offshore wind industry to Virginia, the Landing will provide important support to those companies as they arrive in Hampton Roads. This critical piece will assist in attracting an industry which is a perfect marriage to Virginia's world-class maritime industrial ecosystem."
The founding members of the Landing are global leaders of offshore wind energy and supply chain development, including Atlantic Wind Transfers, Avangrid Renewables, AZCO, Burns & McDonnell, Crowley, Dominion Energy, Nexans and Seaway 7.
Membership in the Landing provides access to the services and programs of the Alliance, OpenSeas and their partners in offshore wind energy, supply chain and workforce development in Virginia. That includes a collaborative work area with Wi-Fi and videoconferencing equipment; facilitated access to a regional network of companies, trade associations, government agencies, universities and business leaders; participation in OpenSeas innovation, entrepreneurship and business opportunity development programs, and the prospect of collaborating with other Landing members.
The Landing is in Suite 2100 in the World Trade Center at 101 W. Main St. in Norfolk. For more on The Landing and membership, go to hamptonroadsalliance.com/vaoswlanding or contact Matt Smith, director of offshore wind for the Hampton Roads Alliance, at msmith@757alliance.com.
OTHER TESTIMONIALS
"The opening of the Virginia Offshore Wind Landing provides businesses coming to Hampton Roads a valuable, no-cost workspace with easy access to organizations focused on establishing the region as the leading domestic supply chain base for the growing East Coast offshore wind industry." - Joshua Bennett, vice president of offshore wind, Dominion Energy
"The Virginia Offshore Wind Landing is another example of the Alliance's continued commitment to the offshore wind industry. Avangrid Renewables, with our Kitty Hawk Offshore Wind project, is proud to be a founding member of The Landing, which will provide a collaborative workspace for the industry as a mid-Atlantic hub." - Marcus Cross, Kitty Hawk project director and director of offshore business development, Avangrid Renewables
"Seaway 7 is excited to join the Virginia Offshore Wind Landing as a founding member. The ability to participate in this type of forum is an invaluable tool to help foster local relationships and strengthen the local community to be better positioned for growth within the U.S. offshore wind industry." - Zach Skelton, business development manager of renewables, Seaway 7
"Crowley is honored to be a partner with the Hampton Roads Alliance in opening the Offshore Wind Landing to support the development and use of clean energy. The Hampton Roads region of Virginia provides a special opportunity to leverage offshore wind energy to provide sustainable power for our communities. As a leading U.S. maritime solutions provider, Crowley looks forward to helping lead the development and deployment of innovative services, including utilizing our Jones Act fleet of vessels, in order to make offshore wind power a reality." - Jeff Andreini, vice president of new energy services, Crowley
"Nexans is a leading global provider of high-voltage cables for offshore wind projects. We see tremendous opportunity in the U.S. offshore wind market and in Hampton Roads as a region that can support development of projects along the East Coast. We are proud to be a founding member of the Virginia Offshore Wind Landing. Through the Landing, we have access to a valuable network of partners and resources that will help Nexans play a key role in the development of the offshore wind industry in the United States." - Emmanuel Martin Lauzer, director of business development, Nexans
"We believe the offshore wind industry in the U.S. has the potential to help create thousands of high-paying jobs, support a growing economy and help us to create efficient, sustainable energy for years to come. The Landing provides an ideal and centralized network to support offshore wind development in Hampton Roads, which is critical to supporting the overall infrastructure and supply chain needs along the Eastern Seaboard." - Tony Appleton, offshore wind director, Burns & McDonnell
"Atlantic Wind Transfers is honored to be a founding member of the Virginia Offshore Wind Landing. The Hampton Roads Alliance has developed a working space that provides valuable resources for offshore wind companies to easily set up in Virginia as Norfolk becomes a major offshore wind hub in the years to come." - Charlie Donadio, CEO of Rhode Island Fast Ferry, Atlantic Wind Transfers
