Yet another major offshore wind project approved during the Biden administration has been canceled.
This time, it was the massive offshore wind project off the coast of New York.
In November, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced that the Biden administration had just approved a massive offshore wind project for New York that would be run by global energy developers Equinor and BP.
Between Empire 1 and Empire 2, the project was expected to generate 2076 megawatts, which would power close to 700,000 homes, with Empire 2 accounting for about 60% of that output. Haaland broke the news on November 21, 2023, after the contract had been finalized, stating:
"Under President Biden's leadership, the American offshore wind industry is continuing to expand rapidly — creating good-paying union jobs across the manufacturing, shipbuilding and construction sectors.
"Today's approval of the sixth offshore wind project adds to the significant progress towards our Administration's clean energy goals."
On Wednesday, the two companies announced that Empire 2 had been canceled, a crushing blow to the Biden administration, taking place only weeks after Orsted canceled Ocean Wind 1 and 2. Equinor and BP cited issues such as supply chain disruptions, high interest, and inflation, making the project unviable.
Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas, stated:
"Commercial viability is fundamental for ambitious projects of this size and scale. The Empire Wind 2 decision provides the opportunity to reset and develop a stronger and more robust project going forward. We will continue to closely engage our many community partners across the state."
Joshua Weinstein, BP's president of offshore wind Americas, stated:
"BP is supportive of NYSERDA's leadership and commitment to offshore wind, which we believe is a critical part of New York State's and America's clean energy future. Offshore wind can deliver reliable renewable power as well as economic benefits to the state and its communities."
This is a crushing blow for Biden on two different fronts. First, this cancelation, in addition to the canceled Ocean Wind projects, severely sets back Biden's goals of renewable energy production so he can cut out fossil fuels.
Second, he has been ramming Bidenomics down everyone's throat, but this is now the second project that has been canceled due to the economy that Biden created, with high inflation and high interest rates. As a matter of fact, Haaland specifically cited this when the project was introduced, saying that "Bidenomics and the President's Investing in America agenda are growing the American economy from the middle out and bottom up."
Well, that does not appear to be the case, does it?
