Aircraft lessor LCI is delivering the first dedicated offshore wind turbine support helicopters in the U.S. The pair of Leonardo AW169s—one new and one preowned—are being leased to HeliService USA in support of GE contracts based in Quonset, Rhode Island, and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The helicopters are equipped with hoists to airlift technicians to and from the wind turbines and can operate across a variety of sea states.
“Helicopters are vital to efficient offshore wind operations, and we are excited to be bringing proven procedures and strong safety culture to this new clean energy industry,” said Michael Tosi, managing director of HeliService USA. “Working in partnership with LCI, and leveraging the experience of the world`s largest offshore wind helicopter operator [HeliService in Europe], we look forward to supporting our customer’s offshore wind operations using these assets.”
Large parcels of the ocean of the eastern seaboard have already been leased to offshore wind energy providers as part of the Biden Administration’s commitment to deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, and 110 gigawatts by 2050. The White House claims that meeting the 2030 target will trigger more than $12 billion per year in capital investment, create 77,000 direct and indirect jobs, and generate enough power to meet the demand for more than 10 million homes for a year.