Murphy Details $300M New Jersey Wind Port, Which Will Manufacture Off-Shore Wind Farms; 'A Once-In-A-Generation Opportunity'
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - Gov. Phil Murphy announced the plans for the country's first manufacturing port dedicated to the offshore wind industry.
"The New Jersey Wind Port is one way that will position our economy for growth as we emerge together from this pandemic," Murphy said.
Murphy said he has a goal of 7,500 megawatts of power being generated by wind energy by 2035 "on our way to a 100 percent clean energy economy by the year 2050."
WATCH: Gov. Phil Murphy Discusses New Jersey Wind Port
The governor said the Wind Port will house manufacturing facilities for the construction of offshore wind turbines. It will also contain the staging port for the offshore wind farms that will grow.
It represents a $300 million investment and will create 1,500 permanent jobs, officials said. They estimate it will drive $500 billion in economic activity annually.
"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. As we restart from the pandemic, I do not want to see our state simply get back to where were before COVID-19, in almost any respect. I want to see us move far beyond, to a place that we have never been before. And the emerging offshore wind industry is one that gives us this tremendous growth potential," he said.
Officials said it would eventually generate enough wind energy to power 17 million homes.
The Wind Port will be built along Lower Alloways Creek in Salem County.
