The story of offshore wind in America has been so far, pretty depressing. In general, wealthy people with otherwise green ideals have put a damper on offshore wind simply because they don't want to look at them in the distance. But we've finally got an offshore wind project approved for the United States (lagging woefully behind Europe).
The new wind farm will be built off the coast of Delaware, about 12 miles off the coast. That should decrease the visual distraction significantly as well as help capture those roaring atlantic breezes that average about twice that of on-land wind speeds. The field will be composed of about 150 turbines and will produce enough electricity to power about 100,000 homes at peak output.
The deal is a joint project between the Delmavra Power Utility and BlueWater Wind, which has previously created offshore wind farms in the Netherlands. The project will cost about $1.6 B. Half of the generating capacity is being pre-purchased by Delmavra. The rest of the electricity will be sold to other buyers. But not until the project is completed in 2012.
Via CNN

written by Ash, June 24, 2008
written by The Food Monster, June 24, 2008
A fine place to put a wind farm. Other great states include, South Carolina, R. Island, Maine, Massachusetts. You just have to watch out for hurricanes, I wonder how they have that figured into their plans. It is great to use the non-livable space as renewable energy.
written by EV, June 25, 2008
written by Ash , June 24, 2008
What ever happened to Cape Wind project?
Ted Kennedy complained about it.
written by Lucien Beauley, June 25, 2008
written by Lucien Beauley, June 25, 2008
Will Global Warming Create Another Apollo Program Technologies Leap?
written by Lucien Beauley, June 25, 2008
http://www.gomestic.com/Consum...ill.21562
How to Save Big Money on Your Electric Bill
written by Andrew, June 25, 2008
written by Fritz, June 25, 2008
Well, the deal between Delmarva Power and Bluewater is for 200MW which isn't much of proposed capacity and if they can't find buyers for the rest of the capacity then they have the option to opt out. That was the concession made to Bluewater for Delmarva not agreeing to buy the previous possible peak of 300MW making the $1.6 billion deal into an $800 million one. All in all it's a good step forward but I don't think it's a done deal yet. Many people in DE are worried about the increased cost of the wind energy which since I think it will be spread out across the state they estimated $25 per person.
On the even more un-EcoGeek side of this the deal allows Delmarva to not reach the 20% renewable sources by 2019 which was otherwise required by state law. Check out the News Journal (Delaware Online) article for more exact details.
written by me, June 25, 2008
written by Not the first, June 25, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/11/AR2006051101967.html
written by Jim Fix, June 25, 2008
written by tom, June 25, 2008
the problem occurs is that renewables will not be pushed until the price of oil goes up. this is a double edged sword because to make the products to utilize renewable energy, fossil fuels need to be burned to drive manufacturing increasing their cost.
the federal govnermnet is too bureaucratic and does a poor job at most of what it does. states should be taking the lead in the energy revolution. Ideally, houses, buildings and apts should all be constructed to meet their individual energy needs. there has been some recent success of this with energy producing new construction.
a perfect exapme of the federal gov's bureaucratic failure is Ted Kennedy's effort to kill the wind farm in teh cape.
written by Neal, June 25, 2008
written by JoeBurg, June 25, 2008
Ok. Post 9/11. What do we do if some terrorist decides to damage these things? What are the odds they would ever get caught? What if a sailboat gets blown off course or is navigating in the fog, runs into these (since the turbines radically slow down the breezes, what is the local warming effect?).
Etc. Etc. Completely silly.
written by John thoams, June 25, 2008
JT
http://www.FireMe.To/udi
written by WarmingIsAHoax, June 25, 2008
http://epw.senate.gov/public/i...2747616F9
written by null, June 26, 2008
written by Soundsbad, June 28, 2008
This sounds to me like someone got a deal from the government (that's you and me, folks) where the government will pay them a great big chunk of that money to build these things.
Picture a fat businessman chuckling about putting one over on Uncle Sam and you and me as he counts what used to be our money one more time.
Suckers.
written by HB, June 28, 2008
If you factor in the $1 trillion cost of the Iraq war to protect our oil interests (which we should factor in, there being no other reason to be there), those windmills are a bargain.
written by IndigoErth, July 02, 2008
Sorry Cape Wind, DE already just got ours approved.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/25/tech/main4210845.shtml
written by Chuckie, July 29, 2008
Concerns:
1. Impacts on fish and other ocean life due to construction pollution and on-going operations.
2. Staggering death tolls on migratory birds are a fact though seldom addressed.
3. Higher transmission costs and environmental impacts due to shore facilities. High tension power lines aren't pretty.
4. True assessment of the percentages of time winds will produce power. Lots of myths about the duty cycle.
Guess I'm saying to really look before the leap to this mode of power generation.
written by Uncle B, November 19, 2008
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