UK Businesses Welcome

UK Businesses Welcome

Offshore Wind Opportunities Await in Virginia Beach

Why Virginia Beach?

The City of Virginia Beach will soon have the biggest offshore wind farm in the United States just a few miles off its coast, along with a second large-scale wind farm in close proximity, which together create a multitude of opportunities for companies in the offshore wind supply chain.

  • 1. Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind - 2.64 GW only 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach
  • 2. Kitty Hawk Offshore - 2.5 GW only 41 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach


Things You Should Know About Virginia Beach

In addition to its strategic location, the City of Virginia Beach offers a variety of competitive advantages over other offshore wind clusters in the country:

Access to Superior Port Facilities

The Port of Virginia, one of the largest on the U.S. East Coast, is rerolling a former container terminal for the new offshore wind industry.

Low Cost of Doing Business

Virginia Beach is cost effective when compared to other U.S. offshore wind communities: labor costs, utility rates, and taxes are generally lower.

Skilled Workforce and Talent Influx

The area’s strong maritime industry, the U.S. Navy, and new local college courses are all contributing to the offshore wind talent pipeline.

Pro- Business Environment

Virginia Beach is located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, which consistently ranks as the best state for business, more than any other state (CNBC, 2021).

Energy Efficiency Made a Priority

Virginia’s pledge to transition to 100% clean energy by 2050 is spurring economic growth and creating opportunities for the offshore wind sector.

Strategic Location on the Coast

Vessels departing directly from Virginia Beach can reach the wind farms in ≈ 2 hours through various inlets on the coast that feed into the Atlantic.

Contact Us


New Anglia Establishes Relationship with Virginia Beach

The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the City of Virginia Beach signed in December 2021 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote trade and investment opportunities for the wind sector.


What Does This Mean for East Anglian businesses?

  • Exports to U.S. market facilitated
  • Cooperation between regional offshore wind bodies
  • Skills experience transferred from East Anglia

The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development consists of a small team of business development professionals and support staff who are responsible for recruiting national and international businesses to Virginia Beach, while also providing assistance to the City’s existing business community.

Our team members responsible for providing assistance to UK-based offshore wind companies include:

Email: lhayes@vbgov.com

Phone: +1-757-385-6437

Virginia Beach Office

Contact Page Business Development Manager

Email: pmcgraw@vbgov.com

Phone: +1-757-385-6458

Virginia Beach Office

Contact Charles

Email: cmacdowe@vbgov.com

Phone: +44 (0)7788 755300

Ipswich UK Office

We are actively working with UK businesses who wish to establish a presence in the City to support the development of the local offshore wind sector and help them take advantage of the multitude of current and future opportunities that this new industry will bring to our City.

Our services are:

  • Confidential – As we work together, our team will learn about your company’s plans to expand in the U.S. market, the number of employees you will need, and the services you will be providing. We do not disclose any sensitive information until you have selected Virginia Beach as the official site for your relocation or expansion.
  • Comprehensive – From conducting market research to planning your community visits, helping you through the site selection process, or with permitting, making key introductions, and everything in between, we make the expansion/relocation experience as easy as possible!
  • Continuous – Our team is dedicated to providing an ongoing service from the moment you initially contact us, to the day your business begins operating in our City, and beyond. We will be your go-to resource for all your business needs and you’ll also benefit from personalized expatriate support if you need it, where we can help with things such as purchasing a car, finding a school for your children, and helping you find a place of residence in a good neighborhood.
  • Completely free of charge – The Department of Economic Development is a division of the City of Virginia Beach. As a public entity whose mission is to grow the local economy through job creation and investments in our community, we will work with you at no cost to your company.

Our economic development team travels around the world to meet with business leaders at their facilities or at industry-specific tradeshows or conferences. A face-to-face introduction allows us to gain a better understanding of your business activities and unique needs.

The Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development also maintains an active presence in Europe with representatives located in the UK, Spain and Germany who are readily available to meet with you in person.

You can also connect with our team at the following events:

  • Global Offshore Wind - London, UK in June 2023
  • American Clean Power Offshore Windpower - Boston, USA in October 2023
  • Offshore Wind North East - Sunderland, UK in November 2023

Learn More

Insight Energy Spring 2022

Insight Energy Summer 2022

Insight Energy Autumn 2022

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