SEP 23

Offshore wind power may be on its way to New York City. The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) will soon begin talks with Con Edison about building a 500 megawatt plant ten miles off the shore of the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens.

Such wind farms have had a history of running into bureaucratic walls. The failure of Cape Wind in Massachusetts is the most famous example, where the offshore project was nixed due to eyesore charges. LIPA itself canceled a proposed wind farm five miles off the coast of Long Island’s Jones Beach in 2007, though there cost seemed to be the dominant issue; initial estimates of $200 million quickly turned into $800 million, and so on.

Needless to say, offshore wind would be a good thing for New York. Mayor Michael Bloomberg made a speech in August about putting small wind turbines on top of buildings, an idea that was commended for its commitment to clean energy, but criticized from a technical perspective. Wind power becomes much more economically viable when generated via large, megawatt-sized turbines in windy areas.

Assuming that LIPA and Con Ed can work out an agreement regarding the logistics of this wind farm, the question remains: will they get public approval? Bluewater Wind seems to have had recent success gaining said approval from the people of Delaware. Let’s hope that New Yorkers can do the same.

Via Newsday

Images courtesy of LIPA, Con Edison

Comments (6)

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Executive Director
written by Barbara Hill, September 23, 2008

Dear Yoni -

Cape Wind is far from being a failure. We fully expect to receive the Record of Decision from the Department of Interior, Minerals Management Service in the fall of 2008 giving the project the federal thumbs
up. Also, the project will be receiving all needed decisions, determinations and permits by March of 2009 leading the way towards being the first offshore wind farm built in US waters. Kindly visit our web site for more information. cleanpowernow.org

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Cape Wind still going
written by Alex, September 23, 2008

Cape Wind is still pushing forward, clearing one hurdle after another that gets thrown in front of it. Doesn't mean it's a done deal yet, but lately it seems all of the news about it is positive.

http://www.capewind.org/news909.htm

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written by Adam, September 23, 2008

I also read in Newsday that LIPA might be facing some financial troubles. Hopefully they can get their act together and start building wind turbines.

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written by OffshoreWind, September 23, 2008

for more information on offshore wind projects visit offshorewind.net

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written by rbr, September 25, 2008

does an offshore windfarm require direct onshore property (oceanfront) for it to operate? if so, does the lipa/con-ed plan have a location in mind? what kind of space would that require?

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written by Al Gore, November 04, 2008

Cape Wind should spend more time building and less time lobbying the Mass PUC to prevent other wind companies from seeling wind energy into tthe mass market. If wind power were their true passion, they would allow for an open landscape to benefit all. Alas, they are bad as Exxon.

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