The Thanet Offshore is currently the largest offshore farm operating in the world (courtesy of ).

The Thanet project was completed in September 2010 and will boost offshore capacity by 30 percent (courtesy of Vattenfall).

24 powertransmissionengineering october 2010 www.powertransmission.com Coastal Question Marks DOES NORTH AMERICA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTION LIE OFFSHORE?

Matthew Jaster, Associate Editor

ust off England’s southeast America. The catastrophic effects of the able energy initiatives, more needs to coast, more than 100 Vestas Gulf oil spill and the continual reliance be done. A recently released report, J V90 wind turbines are gen- on fossil fuels here in the United States “Untapped Wealth: The Potential of erating electricity equivalent suggest other energy options still need Offshore Energy to Deliver Clean, to the annual consumption of 200,000 to be explored. Affordable Energy and Jobs,” by British households. The Thanet Off- The Benefits Offshore Oceana, an international conservation shore Wind Farm, completed in According to the American Wind group, sees much more potential for this September 2010 by Vattenfall, the Energy Association (AWEA), offshore area of wind energy. fifth-largest generator of electricity wind turbines generate more power Jacqueline Savitz, Oceana senior in Europe, will provide a significant than their onshore counterparts thanks campaign director, recently said in increase of green energy to the U.K., to higher wind speeds and steadier Washington D.C. that “Harnessing boosting offshore wind capacity by 30 streams. Larger turbines are more fea- in Atlantic waters percent. It’s currently the largest off- sible offshore, capturing more wind is a much more cost-effective way to shore wind farm operating in the world. while being able to generate energy generate energy than oil and gas drill- British Secretary of State for Energy near more densely populated areas. The ing. If we can get more energy for less and Climate Change Chris Huhne par- U.S. Department of Energy found that money, create more jobs and protect ticipated in the September opening cer- 54 GW of the 300 GW envisioned by our environment from spills, why not emony for the Thanet project. “We are 2030 could be found offshore. These choose offshore wind over oil and gas?” in a unique position to become a world developments could spur manufactur- Oceana says that the offshore leader in this industry. We are an island ing, assembly and transport activities in investments it has recently proposed nation and I firmly believe we should coastal cities and provide various green to Washington could produce 30 per- be harnessing our wind, wave and tidal jobs to the manufacturing sector. cent more electricity than economi- resources to the maximum. I know that Since 2009, ten countries have had cally recoverable offshore oil and gas. there is still more to do to bring forward wind projects installed offshore includ- The group believes offshore wind the large sums of investment we want ing Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, in Massachusetts, North Carolina, to see in low carbon energy in the U.K., Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia and and we as a government are committed Norway, and the United South Carolina could completely reduce to playing our part,” he said in a press Kingdom. A crucial element in sustain- the need for fossil fuels in some states release. ing renewable energy in North America while replacing some of the demand The time, money and resources will be the continuous push for projects in others. The report recommends the being spent on offshore wind projects that include smaller renewable energy United States eliminate federal subsi- in Europe and Asia—40 projects oper- segments such as offshore and com- dies for fossil fuels and redirects such ating in 10 countries—have spurred munity wind. efforts into renewable energy develop- more dialogue on the role offshore While the current administration ment and energy efficiency programs wind energy could soon play in North has supported many of these renew- continued powertransmissionengineering october 2010 www.powertransmission.com www.powertransmission.com october 2010 powertransmissionengineering 25 Ten countries, including England have installed offshore wind farms since 2009 (courtesy of Vattenfall). immediately. It goes on to argue that through 2020 by the Chinese govern- The New York Times goes on to say that offshore drilling for oil and gas should ment, stating that offshore wind power much of China’s clean energy success be stopped and that the time has come is expected to reach 30 gigawatts and lies in aggressive government policies to make the tax credit for wind energy coastal provinces were required to start that help this crucial export industry in permanent. drafting offshore business models. In ways most other governments do not. Offshore Wind: the next three to four years, 514 MW These measures risk breaking interna- Prospects and Politics could be installed along the China tional rules to which China and almost Companies already involved in wind coastline. According to the report, 17 all other nations subscribe, according to energy or those considering the market MW have been installed already. some trade experts. might want to keep a close eye on off- “China is open for business and In Washington, renewable ener- shore wind in the coming years. Most it’s now the most attractive market for gy is a highly-contested and polit- of the wind energy parts for offshore clean energy businesses—which means ically-charged chess match between farms are currently being made overseas our jobs could go overseas,” Denise Republicans and Democrats. Instead of in Germany and China. Getting the Bode, CEO of AWEA, recently said. addressing the energy issues, specifically necessary parts in a timely fashion could “Over the last few years, we’ve seen new the oil spill and North America’s energy prove difficult unless U.S. manufactur- factories and wind farms grow here at future, political candidates continue to ers become more involved in this wind home. And we know that clean energy argue back and forth for votes. segment. Though several offshore farms technology can continue to be one of In response to rhetoric flying around are in the planning stages, only Cape the bright spots in the U.S. economy.” Washington that a renewable energy Wind in Nantucket Sound has received The New York Times recently report- standard would actually increase elec- final approval and is scheduled to com- ed that the booming Chinese clean tricity prices, Bode of the AWEA said, plete construction in 2012 (Ed.’s note: energy sector, now more than a million “As a top official in charge of keeping See sidebar on page 27 for more informa- jobs strong, could grab hold of these electricity rates low in Oklahoma, the tion on U.S. offshore projects). technologies and never let go. As the wind projects I approved saved con- The real question is what’s tak- world’s population grows by nearly a sumers more money while protecting ing so long? The “Development Plan third, to nine billion people by the mid- consumers from the risk of volatile fuel on Emerging Energies” report out of dle of the century, North America will prices of conventional generation.” China was released in July 2010. The need to remain focused on clean energy The AWEA, in fact, published report outlines wind production goals as coal and oil reserves all but disappear. some facts on its website to rebut some

26 powertransmissionengineering october 2010 www.powertransmission.com of the recent talk on Capitol Hill. The organization says more renewable ener- gy through a national RES (renewable Better Late Than Never energy system) will lower fuel prices, stabilize electricity rates and shield rate- With 40 offshore projects in erate approximately 107,222 megawatt payers/consumers from fuel price spikes operation in Europe and Asia, North hours annually, supplying the major- and regulatory risks. America is a little late to the party. But ity of Block Island’s electricity needs. Independent studies from the U.S. that doesn’t mean that there aren’t sev- Excess power will be exported to the Energy Information Administration eral farms in various stages of planning. mainland. Deepwater plans to com- (EIA) found that an RES could save Here’s a brief rundown of some current mence site preparation in late 2010 and consumers anywhere from $400 million and upcoming offshore wind projects in to commence commercial operations to $2 billion. The EIA has also found the United States: in 2012. that a national RES would lower natu- Cape Wind, Nantucket Sound. The Mid-Atlantic Wind Park. NRG ral gas and coal prices and often lower United States’ first offshore wind proj- Bluewater Wind is currently developing electricity prices. Policies and price sig- ect, Cape Wind, received final approval projects in Delaware, Maryland, New nals, according to AWEA, however, do in April 2010 and is scheduled to Jersey, and New York. The company not fully recognize the value of elec- complete construction in 2012. Built has responded to numerous requests for tricity generated with zero-emissions. in Nantucket Sound, Cape Wind will proposals and requests for information Without a long term renewable energy feature 130 wind turbines producing in these states as well as Rhode Island policy the demands for clean energy up to 420 MW of clean, renewable and North Carolina. It is also exploring will probably not be met. energy. Cape Wind is currently the projects in the Great Lakes and Canada. In late September, an RES bill was only offshore project that is past the The NRG Bluewater Wind projects are introduced by Senators Bingaman, planning stage. The project’s website, in various stages of development. Dorgan and Collins and applauded by www.capewind.org, states that the off- Great Lakes Wind Farm. The Lake the AWEA in a statement: “This bill shore wind farm will provide renew- Erie Energy Development Corporation comes at a time when Americans need able energy capable of replacing 113 (LEEDCo) has recently selected a team jobs and more clean energy resources. million gallons of oil per year, stabilize of companies to develop an offshore And wind energy can create jobs and Massachusetts electricity prices and wind farm on Lake Erie. It will be clean energy right here at home.” conserve and help lower natural gas the first offshore wind farm built on a Hopefully, U.S. manufacturers of costs. The jobs gained from environ- fresh water lake in North America. The bearings, gear drives and other wind mental, geological and oceanographic initial project will see a five-turbine components will reap the benefits of a studies, 18-plus months of construction 20 MW pilot plant set up on the long-term renewable energy strategy. and the jobs needed to maintain, moni- lake some 8 km to 16 km from the As has been the case for many years, tor and operate the wind farm pres- city of Cleveland. This is expected to those invested in wind energy projects ent further economic advantages. More start generating electricity by late 2012. in the United States must wait on importantly, it boosts the manufactur- LEEDCo says it could see the develop- Washington while Europe and Asia ing technology sector, allowing Cape ment expanded to as much as 1 GW of continue to move forward on offshore Cod to build more state-of-the-art generating capacity by 2020. wind production. facilities to attract even more high-tech Northern California. Researchers Meanwhile, the debate on the bene- engineering and manufacturing jobs. have been looking at a specific area fits of wind energy, particularly offshore Block Island Wind Farm, Rhode in Northern California for possible wind farms, is far from over. Detractors Island. After months of uncertainty, offshore distribution. They’ve found argue that tougher weather conditions an approval vote in August paved the that a wind park at Cape Mendocino mean limited access to routine mainte- way for an eight-turbine wind farm off would supplant about five percent of nance. Others say that the saline envi- the coast of Block Island. Deepwater California’s electricity coming from ronment creates the need for longer- Wind, the project developer, hopes to carbon-emitting sources. When com- lasting, more robust parts, which in expand with 106 additional turbines bined with offshore wind energy at turn means more money. Homeowners in the future. The company has been several other sites, it may be possible near and around proposed offshore sites selected by two states, Rhode Island to produce between at least a quar- worry that these wind farms might and New Jersey, to build wind farms ter—and potentially all—of California’s harm ocean views. offshore. Without visual impact issues, electricity. Though the transmission Though some environmentalists these turbines can be large in scale lines available to deliver such power still worry about the natural impact of with zero pollution or dangerous waste. are found in the southern part of the offshore wind, the AWEA says that The Block Island Wind Farm hopes state, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is offshore turbines can create artifi- to become a 28.8 megawatt offshore looking into building new transmission cial reefs and that extensive studies in wind farm approximately three miles lines in Northern California. For more Europe have revealed no significant southeast of Block Island consisting of information on offshore wind potential bird impacts and that for the most part, 5–8 turbines. The wind farm will gen- in North America, visit www.awea.org. continued powertransmissionengineering october 2010 www.powertransmission.com www.powertransmission.com october 2010 powertransmissionengineering 27 The Lillgrund Wind Farm off the coast of Sweden is the third largest offshore farm in the world (courtesy of Vattenfall).

A visual simulation of how Cape Wind in Nantucket Sound would appear from a boat at a distance of one mile (courtesy of Cape Wind).

birds avoid wind farms altogether. Association’s (PTDA) quarterly busi- Shipping routes are a growing con- ness index, the power transmission/ cern, however, particularly around the motion control industry experienced U.K. With each and every new offshore rapid growth during the second quarter proposal—and there are plenty out of 2010. Manufacturers are expanding there—shipping companies raise con- at a rapid rate and distributors posted a cerns that routes will be altered. Also, much higher growth index than previ- there are still skeptics that don’t believe ous years. The survey anticipates that the promised energy savings from wind, this momentum will continue into 2011. offshore or otherwise, can actually ever One wonders how big a role renewable be achieved. energy might play for the power trans- As the debate continues on wind mission community in the future. energy in North America, there are at least some positives in the power transmission community. According to the Power Transmission Distributors

28 powertransmissionengineering october 2010 www.powertransmission.com