September 16, 2024 — The Leading Light Wind offshore wind project, planned for development off the coast of Long Beach Island, NJ, has hit a snag.
The project, managed by Invenergy and energyRe, has faced difficulties securing a turbine blade supplier, a critical component for building the wind farm. Initially, the project aimed to use GE Vernova’s 18 MW Haliade-X turbines, but GE unexpectedly withdrew from providing them. This left the developers scrambling to find alternatives.
Efforts to source turbines from Siemens Gamesa also encountered problems, as the company significantly raised its prices, while Vestas, another major manufacturer, was deemed unsuitable for the project due to technical and financial constraints.