RI's Competitive Advantage
Offshore Wind Opportunities in the Ocean State
With the first and only working offshore wind farm in the US, Rhode Island is ideally positioned to support the significant growth in the US offshore wind industry. Our strategic location, port infrastructure, skilled labor, and novel training programs supplying the workers of the future, make Rhode Island an ideal location for offshore wind industry growth.
Wind Works: Rhode Island’s Offshore Wind Story
Offshore wind is a rapidly growing American industry, and thanks to our programs and investments, Rhode Island is at its center. With nation-leading job training programs, global employers, and a robust supply chain, the Ocean State is spearheading the national clean energy revolution.
In 2015, Rhode Island launched the Block Island Wind Farm - America’s first offshore wind farm - and we promised to go full steam ahead. In the decade since, we have delivered on that promise. Today, local crews are constructing the Ocean’s State next offshore wind project - Revolution Wind - which will deliver enough power for 350,000 homes across Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Already, we’re seeing the record public and private investments made in ProvPort and Quonset Point paying off, with hundreds of new direct jobs and thousands of indirect supply chain jobs created by our offshore wind partnerships. And we’re not stopping there.
Rhode Island recently announced another procurement of offshore wind, and this time, we’re not doing it alone. For the first time in history, Rhode Island is joining our neighbors in a large-scale regional offshore wind procurement – lowering costs and increasing reliability for people across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
As we prepare to bring more clean energy into our state, we’re also ensuring that Rhode Island remains the economic hub of this industry. Headlined by the nearly 40 offshore wind supply chain companies operating out of CIC Providence, we’ve built one of the strongest and most robust offshore wind ecosystems in the country. And through innovative programs like WindWinRI in North Kingstown and the Community College of Rhode Island’s GWO training program, we’re ensuring Rhode Island remains home to a workforce-ready pool of talent to meet the growing demands of this industry.
Industry leaders are sharing a consistent message around the country: If you’re looking to be part of America’s offshore wind industry, look to Rhode Island. We are fully committed to growing this critical sector of our economy, and we look forward to building upon our partnerships as we continue charting a course toward Rhode Island’s clean energy future.