Floating Wind Turbines May Cause Happiness To Return To Cape Cod |
8 Comments |
| By Michael d'Estries in Energy, Wind Power | March 17, 2008 | |
There’s been plenty of opposition over the proposed ocean wind farm off the shores of Cape Cod. Frankly, we don’t really “see” what all the fuss is about (for an amusing take by the Daily Show on this issue, jump here) but for some it would be a travesty akin to Jennifer Garner marrying Ben Affleck. Seriously, I’m still upset.
Anyways, the debate over spoiled views may be brought to an amicable resolution should a Dutch company called Blue H come to the rescue. See, the wind turbines would still exist — but they would be much further out to sea — and would float. No one would see them from shore, but clean, green energy would nonetheless get produced. The technology is modeled after deep sea oil rigs, but no one is exactly sure if it will really work. Still, that hasn’t stopped opponents to the Cape Cod Wind Farm from embracing Blue H and pushing for the government to grant a test of the technology in deep water. From the article,
Commercial wind turbines for offshore projects like Cape Wind’s employ technology now in use in Europe. In deep water, however, it is prohibitively expensive to affix wind turbines to the sea floor. The world’s deepest offshore wind turbines today are in about 147 feet of water off Aberdeen, Scotland. Blue H officials say their technology can work in waters as deep as 1,000 feet.
In the proposed project off Martha’s Vineyard, the turbines would rise about 328 feet above the water’s surface and generate 420 megawatts. That’s about the same size as Cape Wind’s project, which Cape Wind says could, in average winds, provide three-quarters of the electric needs of the Cape and Islands.
Cool tech — but will it survive the plummeting waves and, well, wind? Methinks it will be awhile before Blue H is ready to commercially employ it’s technology in open sea — which doesn’t bode well for the ulcers of those opposed to the current operation. Cape Wind is expected to receive final government environmental approval next year and begin construction shortly after that. Bring it.
For more on the Blue H and the floating turbines, click here.
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Cindy Szponder said,
My first thought was whether these wind turbines would survive rough weather. Otherwise, sounds like a great idea. I’m not sure why people are so against wind turbines at times. Of course, out here in Colorado, the turbines are out in flat areas with little population. Anytime I’ve seen the wind turbines at work, I find them fascinating to watch, almost hypnotic. I’m glad to say that a new factory has opened up nearby for producing the turbine blades. A double win situation since it provides local jobs, and is working toward creating renewable energy.
Roger W Waite said,
Folks, the best thing to do for the Cape Cod area is to line the cape cod canal on both sides with bi-directional tidal powered underwater turbines. Underwater turbines produce much more torque than wind turbines, and if properly designed, could be flipped up onto dry land from an underwater position near the shore to be cleaned and serviced, thus avoiding expenive marine based maintenence. They could even have a coating of rocks epoxied to the “show side” of the casing so that they would blend in to the rock lined bottom of the existing canal bottom.
Or maybe they could put inflow and outflow pipes to turbines buried in cement bunkers along side the canal that are camoflaged into the existing enviroment. One thing is for sure, there is an heck of a lot of energy running through that canal every day !
Peter kenney said,
Can we please stop saying that Cape Wind will provide electricity for the Cape and islands? This is simply not true. Cape Wind’s electricity will be fed directly into the regional grid. Period. What is accurate is that cape Wind projects that it will produce an amount of electricity equal to as much as three quarters of the Cape and islands’ demand. Cape Cod and the Islands will not benefit directly from Cape Wind, in any way. Current estimates in fact project that Cape Wind will raise New England electric rates. This is what the Minerals Management service and industry experts have reported.
Peter Mueller said,
I guess what bothers me the most about this project is how to my understanding once started the original investors can walk away from it, (if it proves to costly or difficult to build) leaving it once again to the tax payers to finish. Maintaining these turbines out at sea can be a costly endeavor. I wonder if we will burn up more power in fossil fuel by the ships required for constructing and then maintaining these wind turbines then the turbines will actual generate. Having stated that, I would like to see wind turbines as well as other clean ways utilized for generating electric power. I am currently investigating putting a turbine on my own house with the benefits going directly to my family. This is something that would directly benefit each home that does it verses making a few individuals rich. I also like the idea of the canal turbines. With a little thought and imagination finding the right place to put these generators could help get us off of the fossil fuel without costing us a fortune thereby, benefitting us all .
Alfred Jordan said,
Wind and water power are clear alternatives to fossil fuels and at the same time can be locally controlled. So when the power goes down across the national grids all those on wind and water power are still powered up. What better way to declare independence from large corporations and government controls than to control the power that lights your home, recharges your new electric car, heats the homes and schools while at the same time produces revenue and jobs for you and your neighbors. As for those who think the view would be ruined well they can move to a place that requires less self determination.
Stephen said,
I have a better idea than the Floating Wind Turbines. Does anyone know who I can contact?
Barbara Durkin said,
Alfred:
What you’re missing, by their design, is that the large corporations and government control are the foundation of wind energy, Enron Wind, Shell Wind, GE Wind, BP Wind are all PetroCats disguised as WindCats. Wind power is not an alternative as you’ve been told, it’s an “add on”. Or, to fossil fuel titans, the diversification of their energy investment portfolios.
Cape Wind, according to MMS and EPA 2/19/09 response to the Cape Wind FEIS, is “not economically viable” but will require between $.058 to $3.90 billion for ISO New England transmission infrastructure upgrades according to DOE.
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/reports/lbnl-1471e.pdf
“Cape Wind has stated that there will be no permanent employment associated with this project in Barnstable County” page 23 of 29 Cape Wind Energy Project JR20084 Staff Report-September 4, 2007/
New Report: ‘High Road or Low Road’
Commissioned by: Change to Win, Sierra Club, the Laborers International Union of North America, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
“Our review of working conditions in three core sectors of the emerging green economy–wind and solar component manufacturing; green construction; and recycling–suggests one basic conclusion: The fact that an employer is engaged in a business that benefits the environment does not necessarily mean that the employees of that enterprise are going to be treated well. While some green companies are model employers, others pay their workers too little and offer them inadequate benefits. Purportedly green firms have in some cases resorted to union-busting and the exploitation of undocumented immigrants. In short, the green economy is not always a humane economy.”
http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/gjfgreenjobsrpt.pdf
‘Wind Power Exposed: The Renewable Energy Source is Expensive, Unreliable and Won’t Save Natural Gas’.
http://www.energytribune.com/articles.cfm?aid=1029
Barbara Durkin said,
“The fact that an employer is engaged in a business that benefits the environment”, states Sierra Club, the Laborers International Union of North America, and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in their report, ‘High Road or Low Road’.
Is not a “fact” after all.
“The clean tech sector is the fastest growing area of the venture asset class and fertile ground for growth and profits, said Ira Ehrenpreis, general partner, Technology Partners, and conference chairman. The environment and profit go hand in hand, according to Ehrenpreis. “Clean tech is all about the green, not the environment,” he said.”
“The Clean Tech Investor Summit, now in its fifth year, brought venture capitalists and emerging clean tech companies from diverse sectors together in Palm Springs, CA, in January, for two days of panel sessions and networking opportunities.”
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/02/venture-capitalists-money-is-tight-in-the-green-sector