Empire Wind’s Local Blueprint: How Offshore Energy Is Powering Community, Workforce, and Environmental Growth in Brooklyn

When Empire Wind opened WindScape Brooklyn this fall, the space quickly became more than a visitor center. It became a real example of what “local content” can mean in practice. In just one month, the team turned a concept about community inclusion in clean energy into a working model of how offshore wind development can create real value for local people and businesses.

Local content means making sure that the economic, social, and workforce benefits of major projects stay within nearby communities. It has become an essential advantage in clean energy development. Empire Wind’s Brooklyn hub shows how this approach can succeed in real life.

The company has built partnerships throughout the community. A back-to-school supply drive with Skanska supported P.S. 24, just blocks from the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Empire Wind also joined the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation and Vestas for the Offshore Wind Exchange, an event that gave small businesses a clearer understanding of how to participate in offshore wind projects.

“Local participation isn’t charity. It’s strategy,” says Ashley Ball of Empire Wind’s community engagement team. “Our goal is to make Brooklyn a talent hub and supply chain engine for the offshore wind economy.”

Since its opening on September 19, WindScape Brooklyn has welcomed more than 650 visitors and hosted events to connect residents, educators, and employers. A Clean Energy Jobs Fair with the RETI Center led directly to four hires. A Lunch and Learn brought together manufacturers and workforce organizations. The center’s first school program introduced eighth graders to renewable energy, allowing them to build their own small turbines and learn about offshore wind’s role in their community.

Next, Empire Wind will launch WindScape Labs with Sunset Park High School to help students gain hands-on experience in clean energy fields. “WindScape is our workforce incubator,” says Jennifer Smith, who co-leads Empire Wind’s community partnerships. “It’s where policy meets people.”

Empire Wind’s commitment also extends to protecting the environment. Through a three million dollar collaboration with the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance, the company is funding research on how offshore wind affects fish and fisheries. Projects led by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center are setting new standards for environmental accountability in the U.S. offshore wind industry.

Empire Wind’s studies go beyond meeting regulatory requirements. They are helping define how renewable energy can coexist with fishing and marine life. By investing in science, the company is building trust with local stakeholders and creating a model for responsible ocean use.

Empire Wind’s version of local content is about more than jobs or contracts. It is about true community integration. By hosting Open House New York, offering free public access, and working closely with schools and local organizations, WindScape Brooklyn shows that clean energy can become part of everyday civic life.

In a city known for its diversity and density, WindScape Brooklyn demonstrates that the clean energy future will not be imposed from above. It will be built together, neighborhood by neighborhood.

As Empire Wind moves toward 2026, when turbine components begin arriving at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, its real progress is already visible. It can be seen not only in infrastructure but in classrooms, small businesses, and community partnerships that are powering New York’s next chapter of sustainable growth.

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