Offshore wind industry poised to alter US energy and ocean landscape

Jul 26, 2023

Shannon Longworth Reporter

By Shannon Longworth (Reporter), Dan Reardon (Editor)

In the vast landscapes of the Midwest and Great Plains, wind energy has found a pathway for development. However, a new frontier for renewable energy is emerging on the horizon in the form of offshore wind turbines in the United States.

The Biden administration has set an ambitious target to deploy up to 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, which would be sufficient to power 10 million homes, constituting approximately 7% of the country’s energy capacity. Harnessing wind at sea offers advantages, as it tends to be stronger and more consistent than on land, making it a more reliable source of renewable energy.

Presently, the U.S. already has two operational offshore wind farms. One wind farm is near Block Island and features five turbines. The other is a pilot project with just two turbines off the coast of Virginia.

Dominion Energy is planning to expand this project by constructing 176 turbines starting in 2024, making it the largest offshore wind farm in the nation. Moreover, several other sites along the East Coast are currently in different stages of research, evaluation and construction to accommodate additional projects. For instance, a specialized ship is presently installing a 62-turbine project off of Martha’s Vineyard to power more than 400,000 homes.

While offshore wind energy is relatively new to the U.S., Europe has been harnessing it for decades. Denmark, for instance, installed the world’s very first offshore wind farm in 1991, and the U.K. currently operates over 40 wind farms.

Despite the potential benefits, there are concerns and apprehensions surrounding the technology in the U.S.

Building and maintaining turbines in the water is notably expensive. Furthermore, the visual impact of vast offshore wind farms and their potential effects on tourism, the fishing industry and real estate values along the coastal areas are subjects of debate.

Additionally, concerns about the impact on marine life have been raised by conservation groups and politicians alike. The Department of Energy has acknowledged that “wind plants can impact local wildlife.” However, there is currently no evidence of significant harm to marine mammals from existing offshore projects.

Tags: Denmark, Marine life, Martha’s Vineyard, Offshore wind farms, U.S. Energy Department, Virginia, Wind energy, Wind farms

SHANNON LONGWORTH: THE WIDE-OPEN LANDSCAPES OF THE MIDWEST AND GREAT PLAINS HAVE PROVIDED A CLEAR PATH FOR HARNESSING THE NATION’S WIND ENERGY.

BUT A NEW LOCATION FOR THOSE [TOWERING TURBINES] IS ON THE HORIZON, AND IT’S SOMETHING OF A MAIDEN VOYAGE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE U.S.

BY 2030, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AIMS TO DEPLOY UP TO 30 GIGAWATTS OF OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY– ENOUGH TO POWER 10 MILLION HOMES. THAT’S ROUGHLY 7% OF THE COUNTRY.

WIND AT SEA IS GENERALLY STRONGER AND MORE CONSISTENT THAN THAT ON LAND, WHICH MEANS IT’S A MORE RELIABLE SOURCE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.

THERE ARE ALREADY TWO OPERATING OFFSHORE WIND FARMS IN THE U.S.–ONE NEAR BLOCK ISLAND WITH FIVE TURBINES…

AND THE OTHER, A PILOT PROJECT NEAR VIRGINIA WITH JUST TWO TURBINES. DOMINION ENERGY PLANS TO EXPAND THERE, CONSTRUCTING 176 TURBINES BEGINNING IN 2024. IT’LL BE THE LARGEST OFFSHORE WIND FARM IN THE COUNTRY.

IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING. SITES DOWN THE EAST COAST ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF RESEARCH, EVALUATION, AND CONSTRUCTION TO HOST OTHER PROJECTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, A SPECIALIZED SHIP IS JUST OFF OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD THIS SUMMER, INSTALLING A SIXTY-TWO TURBINE PROJECT TO POWER MORE THAN 400,000 HOMES.

WHILE SOURCING POWER FROM OCEAN WINDS IS RELATIVELY NEW TO US, THE EU’S BEEN DOING IT FOR DECADES. DENMARK INSTALLED THE VERY FIRST OFFSHORE WIND FARM IN 1991.

THE UK HAS MORE THAN 40 WIND FARMS CURRENTLY OPERATIONAL.

ON OUR SIDE OF THE POND, THIS TECHNOLOGY IS FACING SOME APPREHENSION.

BUILDING TURBINES IN THE WATER IS VERY EXPENSIVE– NOT JUST TO INSTALL, BUT TO MAINTAIN.

ALSO, REMEMBER WE’RE ABOUT TO SURROUND A GREAT DEAL OF COASTAL LAND WITH GIANT SPINNING BLADES. HERE’S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE IN THE MIDWEST– IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT TOURISM? THE FISHING INDUSTRY? REAL ESTATE VALUES? OR COULD IT INCREASE VALUE IN THOSE AREAS?

AND DON’T FORGET MARINE LIFE ITSELF. CONSERVATION GROUPS AND POLITICIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TURBINES’ EFFECT ON OCEAN LIFE.

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACKNOWLEDGES “WIND PLANTS CAN IMPACT LOCAL WILDLIFE.”

WE SAW THIS WHILE REPORTING ON WIND TURBINES’ THREAT TO THE GOLDEN EAGLE POPULATION IN WYOMING.

WHILE THERE’S NO EVIDENCE THAT EXISTING OFFSHORE PROJECTS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY HARMED MARINE MAMMALS, WE’LL CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE RESEARCH AS CONSTRUCTION RAMPS UP ON THE EAST COAST.