What does Cape Wind approval mean?

[jharkin]

There are currently proposals to build nearly 2,500 megawatts' worth of offshore wind farms from Massachusetts to North Carolina,

That great if we can do it but you have to put the numbers in perspective.

Right now the US has something like 160,000 MW of generation capacity that produces just under 4 trillion KWh per year.


These wind projects would offset, what, 1 - 1.5% of that? We have to do a lot better if we are going to give more than lip service to moving off FF.


-Jeremy

 

[Dune]

There are currently proposals to build nearly 2,500 megawatts' worth of offshore wind farms from Massachusetts to North Carolina,

That great if we can do it but you have to put the numbers in perspective.

Right now the US has something like 160,000 MW of generation capacity that produces just under 4 trillion KWh per year.


These wind projects would offset, what, 1 - 1.5% of that? We have to do a lot better if we are going to give more than lip service to moving off FF.


-Jeremy

Actualy, it is not quite that bad. Only 45% of our electricity is derived from coal, the main culprit. Therefore, to replace coal will require 72,000 MW. 2500 MW will replace almost 3% of that. Remember, though, that is just offshore windmills. While many windmills are being proposed for offshore, many more than that are being built, on land. Municipalities, business and residential windmills are being installed. The same can be said solar electric generation as well. We are actualy moving along in these areas, admittedly it seems slowly. Also, moving slowly, but moving, is research in such alternatives as tidal or current turbines, geothermal electric, and expanding traditional hydro-electric. As far as I know, there are a couple of Nuclear power plants being discussed as well, and I am sure new ones will have much greater generating capacity than older ones.

 

[vvvv]

Maine wants to be the Saudi Arabia of Wind Power. There are 2 huge projects going right now, I don't believe either one is producing what they thought. The University of Maine got millions in grant money to study offshore wind power and is building a prototype to stick out in the gulf of Maine. The project, if it goes thru, would be massive and would supply Maines needs easily except the wind doesn't always blow. So what do you do for back up?or do you go through phases of blackout like a 3rd world nation? A long time ago this type of thing was proposed. Mainers should know about the Dickey Lincoln Project. I believe they were going to use a dam up in the county to fill in for a proposed tidal generating facility. When the tides were high or low they were going to backup with a large Hydro facility in northern Maine. It makes great sense therefore it never got permitted :lol: There was some endangered species that held the whole thing.

backup windmill with NG plant like Veazie