3rd firm confirms bid on New Jersey wind energy project

A third firm has confirmed that it's interested in building a wind energy project off the New Jersey coast.

Norway-based Equinor says it submitted a bid Friday to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to build an offshore wind project.

The company joins Orsted, a Danish wind company, and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Shell and EDF Renewables North America in submitting bids to the board by last week's deadline.

"Equinor has placed a strong bid we hope will help New Jersey meet its clean energy goals: protecting the planet from climate change while building a new industry with good jobs," company spokeswoman Elin Isaksen said.

Equinor, formerly known as Statoil, has said it is developing an offshore wind project in New Jersey that it calls "Boardwalk Wind."

The state is seeking companies to build projects that would generate at least 1,100 megawatts of electricity. Orsted estimates that amount could power more than a half-million homes.

Gov. Phil Murphy has made wind energy a priority and hopes to have 3,500 megawatts in place off the state's coastline within the next 11 years.

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