Comments on: First U.S. Offshore Wind Project Gains DEP Approval

By: Barbara Durkin

Barbara Durkin — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:30:14 +0000

Wind energy requires large investments indeed, Sarah. Especially offshore wind energy.
NewEnergyNews
22 August 2008
“The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) foresaw the urgent need to modernize the grid in preparation for adding gigawatts of New Energy to the U.S. energy mix. AWEA commissioned American Electric Power (AEP) to do the “AEP Transmission Vision,” a map showing how to get fron the grid now to the grid that must be: 19,000 miles of 765-kilovolt (kV) power lines at a cost of $60 billion.
The problem: Building new transmission incurs Not-In-My-BackYard objections (NIMBY-ism). It eventually requires the exercise of eminent domain to obtain pathways for the wires. And that generates further popular opposition.
Transmission builders are working hard to create solutions. The fate of the U.S. electricity supply hangs in the balance. Who will next be in the dark (and is the light they need in their own backyard)?”
http://www.windfeeds.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1100:blackout-plus-5-years-better-grid-new-vision&catid=28:newenergynews&Itemid=273

By: Sarah Lozanova

Sarah Lozanova — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:31:41 +0000

The first power plants of any kind have had an inflated price. The best example at the moment are proposed “clean coal” plants. Off-shore wind certainly has potential, although it may never be as cost effective as on-shore wind. For the technology to mature however, a large investment is required to get the ball rolling.

By: Barbara Durkin

Barbara Durkin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:41:54 +0000

The lead federal MMS Cape Wind draft EIS states:
“Given the estimated COST OF ENERGY IS $122/MWh, TWICE THAT OF THE CURRENT MARKET AND THIS IS AFTER THE FULL BENEFIT OF TAX AND RPS INCENTIVES, the prospects of entering a long-term purchase power contract would seem low.”
Additional costs that would be occurred by Cape Wind, beyond twice current market energy pricing, and public subsidies, that:
David G. Tuerck, executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute, 2006 noted:
“What we found was quite remarkable. Cape Wind stands to receive subsidies worth $731 million, or 77 percent of the cost of installing the project and 48 percent of the revenues it would generate.”
Unidentified Cape Wind costs, to additionally be borne by ratepayers and taxpayers, are:
>the cost of bonding for the project and performance of the project
>required upgrades to existing infrastructure and transmission lines
>the very expensive operation and maintenance O&M contract.
>(astoundingly) CERA, Cambridge Energy Research Associates, finds that we have to invest in the wind turbine installation vessels–first

By: erika

erika — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:56:41 +0000

Hope someone makes money off this project. It will entice others to develop similar projects elsewhere through out the U.S. (and world).
Nothing wrong with creating energy (renewable) and jobs for people nearby..

By: retar

retar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:11:52 +0000

As much as I respect Senator Kennedy for his political choices, I was agast at the selfishness he displayed by previously blocking this project. How could such a great man hold back the needs of so many for such a silly reason.

By: dabe

dabe — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:48:21 +0000

By: Kevin D G

Kevin D G — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:38:45 +0000

This is great news, and I truly hope this project moves forward…
I for one, enjoy spending summers on Cape Cod, and the view of wind turbines in the far distance will not deter me in the least from returning. As a matter of fact, I’ll feel better about my stay knowing that the energy I consume there will at least partially be generated from a renewable source.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:54:20 +0000

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:39:35 +0000

Kennedy is the only one in state government that has not had the wool pulled over his eyes. This project is bad for the Cape. We will get stuck with broken promises and higher power costs. This project is only about money NOT the environment or the community of the Cape.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:27:25 +0000

That sounds great until the utility company starts sending that power off the cape. The canal plant was supposed to lower power costs but the electricity get sent to Maine first. The cape community will get stuck with environmentally damaging wind turbines, no decreased power costs, and some big company will make billions.

By: E Villemaire

E Villemaire — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:56:14 +0000

By: Zach

Zach — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:35:02 +0000

The Kennedys, who rather hypocritically opposed the project due to its supposed “proximity” to their compound, will be happy to know that from the shore, the turbines are silent and small, rotating languidly in even the harshest wind. This is an important step in the new clean energy economy, which will bring many, many jobs in a variety of sectors from here on.

By: McYo.

McYo. — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 23:29:04 +0000

I was a member of the MA Green Party back 8 years ago. (Y2K) Then I woke-up and, being disabled, realized that the Greens got no power. So then I resigned myself to being just-another-disabled-
Democrat. Thank God for Ted Kennedy. Not only is he an absolute GOD for us disabled folks, but he also helped usher this issue to victory against the republitards.