• In partnership with Farmingdale State College, Community Offshore Wind is creating pathways for minority and women-owned businesses to enter the offshore wind supply chain through the Foundation 2 Blade training program from the Business Network for Offshore Wind. 
• Funding supports the build out of the region’s domestic offshore wind supply chain by providing industry education to ignite local economies and invest in the clean energy future. 

Community Offshore Wind is funding the first-ever Foundation 2 Blade offshore wind industry training at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, NY, for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses Enterprises (MWBE), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB) and Small Business Enterprises (SBE). Through the company’s investment, qualifying businesses can enroll in the program for only $100 to learn the tools they need to capitalize on the expanding, Northeast U.S. offshore wind market. This provides a 96 percent savings on the training that would typically cost $2,500. 

Community Offshore Wind is a joint venture between RWE Renewables and National Grid that is developing a lease area in the New York Bight, between Long Island and New Jersey, with a potential capacity of 3 gigawatts (GW) to power more than one million homes. Building a robust, domestic supply chain is just one of the many ways the organization is working to benefit communities in the Northeast.  

“We recognize the significant benefits that come from working with local suppliers. Our partnership with the Business Network to offer the Foundation 2 Blade offshore wind training is an example of how we’re helping remove financial barriers to entry,” said Doug Perkins, President and Project Director of Community Offshore Wind. “At Community Offshore Wind we’re committed to levelling the playing field. We have a responsibility to provide MWBE, SDVOB and SBE businesses equitable opportunities across design, manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance to help advance the American offshore wind supply chain.”  

Graduates of Foundation 2 Blade will learn the phases of offshore wind project development, including the necessary component parts and operations of projects, to determine where their company best fits into the supply chain. Since launching in 2020, Foundation 2 Blade has graduated nearly 350 professionals from federal regulatory agencies, state government, offshore wind developers, Tier 1 suppliers, and other businesses critical to the offshore wind supply chain.

“The Business Network is thrilled to partner with Community Offshore Wind and Farmingdale State College to ensure New York benefits from offshore wind energy,” noted Ben Brown, Senior Director of Industry Training at the Business Network for Offshore Wind. “Foundation 2 Blade offers training resources, industry connections, and networking opportunities with industry experts to help businesses navigate where they fit in the supply chain. Participants will join a well-connected alumni network of graduates, that will further assist them in finding their place in the rapidly growing U.S. offshore wind industry.” 

“We are delighted to partner with Community Offshore Wind to bring the Foundation 2 Blade program to New York State and Long Island,” added Professor Marj Issapour, Associate Dean of Innovation and Economic Development in Sustainable Energy, Farmingdale State University. “Through the generous support of Community Offshore Wind, minority and women-owned businesses can access the offshore wind network. Building that supply chain, locally, will help serve the workforce needs of Long Island today and into the future.” 

According to a Jaggaer-Tealbook survey, two-thirds of North American businesses polled said the biggest benefit to increasing supplier diversity has been positive reputational impacts, with more than 40 percent also saying there’s been increased supplier innovation and greater supply base competition. Companies have stepped up their efforts to work with more minority and women-owned businesses, with 53 percent of businesses saying supplier diversity is a high priority. 

The Business Network for Offshore Wind Foundation 2 Blade industry training will be held from   10 a.m. - 4 p.m., November 2-4, at the Long Island campus of Farmingdale State College.  

To learn more about how you can enter the offshore wind supply chain, MWBEs, SDVOBs and SBEs are encouraged to join the Business Network for Offshore Wind Foundation 2 Blade industry training. Space is limited. For more information and how to register, please contact the Renewable Energy & Sustainability Center at Farmingdale State College at RESCgreen@farmingdale.edu.