U.S. OFFSHORE WIND and UPDATE: OF WIND AND EAGLES

The potential of east coast offshore wind is gargantuan. See Offshore Wind In The Offing

But before that story:

A NewEnergyNews reader suggests wind energy and precious bird populations are not fitting together easily. (See the comment with yesterday's post below.) The question of how to protect our treasures and yet provide the gift of New Energy can be indeed difficult, be it birds and wind, landscape and solar or currents and marine ecosystems. NewEnergyNews welcomes commentary on the subject and will post whatever it can of what readers submit.
These are the best stats NewEnergyNews has. If you have better graphics, please send them, or web addresses for them, to: herman@NewEnergyNews.net/ (click to enlarge)

Now, offshore wind:

Coastal Wind Parks Await Consent
Kristyn Ecochard, July 9, 2007 (UPI)

WHO
Cape Wind off Cape Cod, MA; a project off the south shore of Long Island (Long Island Power Authority and FPL Energy/Florida Power & Light); off Delaware’s coast (Bluewater Wind with Delmarva Power); failed: off the Texas Gulf Coast, off Virginia, off Georgia, off South Carolina.
These are some of the coastal areas with large wind energy ready to be tapped. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
UPI’s Kristyn Ecochard summarizes U.S. offshore wind energy development, lack of development and failures.

WHEN
- MMS EIS expected on Cape Wind by mid 2008. It could be going by the end of 2010.
- Long Island project was initiated in 2005. Currently waiting.
- Delaware planning began in 2006 and permitting is ongoing.

WHERE
Various offshore locations.

WHY
- Reports/studies describe enormous potential for wind energy development off the mid-Atlantic coast but few projects have gone forward.
- Political squabbling, infighting and NIMBY issues have plagued Cape Wind in Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod. Mineral Management Services ( MMS) of the Department of the Interior regulates renewable projects involving the Outer Continental Shelf, including the offshore wind industry. It is holding hearings and will make an Enviromental Impact Study (EIS) report.
- Long Island project would be 40 turbines, 140 megawatts, $697 million cost
- The Department of Energy is backing development of the big wind turbines that would make offshore wind projects more viable with grants for research.
Offshore turbines are up to 2.5 megawatts EACH and producers are talking about DOUBLING that. Think its going to get cost competitive?

QUOTES
- Long Island Power and Light: "This clean, renewable energy project will produce zero-emissions energy for approximately 44,000 Long Island homes and save 13.5 million barrels of oil over the lifetime of the project…"
- Sam Shelton, research program director, Georgia Tech Strategic Energy Institute: "We believe that given the available wind resources and the extent of the shallow water continental shelf there is considerable ultimate potential for wind power generation off the coast of Georgia…While the 20-year levelized cost of wind power is higher than current production from existing power plants, offshore wind power may become a viable option for green power generation…"
- Frank Maisano, spokesman, a coalition of mid-Atlantic wind developers: "It's a promising technology with a lot of opportunity, but the cost is still too high; it's prohibitive…"