WHAT OFFSHORE WIND’S APPROVAL MEANS

What the Cape Wind Verdict Means for Offshore Wind Power
Tracy Staedter, May 5, 2010 (Discovery News)

"The Cape Wind Associates have officially received approval from U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, to build a wind farm five miles off the island of Nantucket, Mass…It’s the first [U.S.] offshore lease…[and raises the question of what is next] for offshore wind energy generation in the United States.

"…The Cape Wind project originally applied in 2001 for the permit to build the 130-turbine, 420 MW wind farm, and almost immediately met with opposition…[over] threats to the environment, the economy, public safety and the view. And immediately following Salazar’s decision, [a lawsuit was filed] on behalf of a coalition of environmental groups."

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"But while there may be many reasons to oppose a wind farm, its impact on the environment and society is far lower than coal and oil, said [Jeremy Firestone, a senior research scientist studying offshore wind at the University of Delaware]…In just the last few weeks, the United States has seen two major disasters related to fossil fuels: the explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine…which killed 29 people; and the explosion and sinking of the Deep Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico…. [Firestone said,] the coal and oil industry regularly afflict the environment in devastating ways…All coal plants produce toxic solid waste…and typically discharge [their] heated water into nearby streams, which kill fish larvae…One-quarter to one-half of oil pollution [from offshore oil platforms] is the result of operational discharging…

"Had the Cape Wind project not been approved…[it would have set back the offshore wind industry and]… it may have negatively impacted the Blue Water Wind farm proposed for 13 miles off the coast of Delaware. Survey results have shown that statewide more than 80 percent of the population support the project."

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"Offshore wind is especially interesting along the East Coast, where large population centers are located close to the ocean. Walt Musial, who leads offshore wind energy research activities for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., said… 28 coastal states consume 78 percent of the nation’s electricity…But the characteristically small size of the states coupled with dense metropolitan areas make land-based wind farms difficult to consider. What’s more, the rail and road system limit the size of the turbines that can be transported over land.

"But just offshore, the Atlantic coast is relatively shallow and it gently slopes away from the coast, providing a good foundation for wind turbines. Theoretically, the turbines can be built at factories along the coast and then transported to the ocean location by barge. Fewer, larger wind turbines could accommodate electrical demands…For Cape Wind, that won’t happen until the group can negotiate a deal with an electric utility, and then raise $2 billion it will take to fund the construction."