Renewable energy developer Attentive Energy One announced its proposed $10 million investment for a training hub at LaGuardia Community College and additional funding for western Queens community-based organizations. (Courtesy of Attentive Energy One)
April 25, 2023 By Bill Parry
Attentive Energy and LaGuardia Community College announced a $16 million proposal for a Queens Offshore Wind Training Hub at the Long Island City campus and funding for community-based organizations, with a strong presence in the four NYCHA developments in western Queens – Queensbridge, Ravenswood, Astoria and Woodside – to source, mentor and refer candidates to the Training Hub.
Attentive Energy One, a joint venture between Rise Light & Power and TotalEnergies, will construct an offshore wind farm, which will deliver clean energy to over 700,000 homes via Ravenswood Generating Station in Long Island City, permanently replacing 400 MW of fossil fuel generation.
“The proposed Queens Offshore Wind Training Hub will be a purpose-built space with both classroom and hands-on training space at LaGuardia,” LaGuardia Community College President Kenneth Adams said. “The western Queens community will have access to opportunities and resources providing STEM education, workforce skills training and referral services to build a pipeline of candidates from disadvantaged communities towards long-term careers in offshore wind and renewable energy. It’s a project that meets the needs of our community and our environment.”
Renewable energy developer Attentive Energy One announced its proposed $10 million investment for a training hub at LaGuardia Community College and additional funding for western Queens community-based organizations. (Courtesy of Attentive Energy One)
Attentive Energy One’s workforce investments will ensure that western Queens residents will have access to these economic opportunities with more than 2,600 new unique jobs created by the project’s construction and operation. The investment will increase LaGuardia’s capacity to offer skills, certifications and specialized offshore wind training to hundreds of New Yorkers, drawing on a pipeline of candidates from a network of community-based organizations that will deliver STEM training, soft skills and other supports.
To address the climate injustices of the past, New York State’s Climate Act sets the goal that Disadvantaged Communities receive at least 40% of the benefits of state climate funds. Attentive Energy One is purposefully designed to exceed this target, delivering both economic and public health benefits to Disadvantaged Communities.
Renewable energy developer Attentive Energy One announced its proposed $10 million investment for a training hub at LaGuardia Community College and additional funding for western Queens community-based organizations. (Courtesy of Attentive Energy One)
“Attentive Energy is excited to partner with LaGuardia Community College and the broader Western Queens community to support the development of the future clean energy workforce,” said Damian Bednarz, managing director of Attentive Energy. “Through this investment, Attentive Energy is committed to cultivating homegrown talent and local diverse enterprises seeking to participate in the offshore wind supply chain, strengthening career readiness and supporting innovative climate tech solutions.”
Located just one mile east of Ravenswood, LaGuardia Community College is home to more than 23,000 students from 133 countries providing ladders of opportunity and equipping one of the nation’s most diverse student bodies with the skills to shape a rapidly evolving energy sector.
“We are proud to support one of our closest neighbors, LaGuardia Community College, to prepare the next generation for the emerging green economy,” Rise Light & Power CEO Clint Plummer said. “There’s no better place to source the renewable energy workforce than from the ranks of our existing union and from our neighbors in NYCHA. This project will deliver unmatched benefits for New Yorkers, by New Yorkers.”
“Meeting New York’s climate goals not only requires sustained investment in renewable energy but also a well-trained workforce prepared to lead our clean energy transition,” said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. “The proposed Queens Offshore Wind Training Hub at LaGuardia Community College will help provide a just transition to clean energy by retraining union workers and prioritizing workforce development for New Yorkers living in environmental justice communities right here in Queens. The hub will also support New York entrepreneurs by providing vital technical assistance to startups and helping small businesses obtain certifications and compete for government contracts.”
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