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First Wind Turbine Blade Factory to Be Built in the U.S. Will Cost Over $200 Million

Siemens Gamesa plans to build the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United States, an investment that will cost over $200 million.
Siemens Gamesa builds first wind turbine blade factory in the U.S. 6 photos
Photo: Siemens Gamesa
Siemens Gamesa plans to build the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United StatesSiemens Gamesa plans to build the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United StatesSiemens Gamesa plans to build the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United StatesSiemens Gamesa plans to build the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United StatesSiemens Gamesa plans to build the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United States
Spanish/German wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa chose Portsmouth, Virginia as the location of the facility, where it will lease more than 80 acres (32 hectares) in order to support Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project (CVOW).

The CVOW is advertised as the future largest offshore wind farm in the United States, with construction for it being scheduled to begin in 2024 and end in 2026. This 2,640-megawatt project would be able to power 600,000 homes and will include 180 wind turbines that will be 800 ft (244 m) tall. The wind farm will be located in Hampton Roads, 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.

Siemens Gamesa says the Portsmouth facility will be used to make its patented offshore IntegralBlades and will create around 260 job opportunities when fully operational. An additional 50 service jobs will become available for providing maintenance services for the CVOW project. The Portsmouth Marine Terminal will eventually become an offshore wind hub with Siemens looking to expand its blade facility in the future.

Virginia plans to only use carbon-free energy by 2045 and is taking determined steps in that direction. According to Governor Ralph S. Northam, Virginians want renewable energy and the Commonwealth is joining these companies to create the most important clean-energy partnership in the U.S. This is good news for everybody, from energy customers to union workers and the entire country, as more jobs will follow and economic growth will be driven.

According to Reuters, up to seven offshore wind auctions will be held in the U.S. in the next four years, with president Biden setting a goal to make the power grid carbon-free by 2035. There are also 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy goal to be met by 2030.
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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars.
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