New Jersey is poised to be an important player in the emerging offshore wind (OSW) energy industry development throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. A strong OSW energy industry can only be technologically efficient and cost-effective with the existence of a nearby robust supply chain support.
To help sustain this emerging industry, Rutgers EcoComplex has launched the “WindIgnite” accelerator program to provide support to the OSW supply chain. Located at the EcoComplex facility in Bordentown, New Jersey, the program will serve as the hub of an innovative wind supply chain entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is being tailored for entrepreneurs and small businesses, with a particular emphasis on women and minority-owned enterprises. The EcoComplex “Clean Energy Innovation Center,” affiliated with Rutgers University, is dedicated to moving inventions from the lab to successful real-world applications and to promote New Jersey as a center for clean energy and environmental innovations and enterprises.
“Given the complexity of the supply chain for OSW energy technology, WindIgnite will utilize a network of resources to assist new and existing OSW energy supply chain technology companies to successfully maneuver the innovation pathway,” says Serpil Guran, director of Rutgers EcoComplex.
This pathway includes discovery, concept assessment, business model assessment, technology verification, scale-up and commercialization to support emerging offshore wind industry in New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic region.
The ultimate goal is to provide a solid network for supply chain industry growth and to maximize the economic development impacts that it can generate. The WindIgnite program is funded by Atlantic Shores LLC.