GLU post by Nate Drag:
Anyone who lives on the shores of the Great Lakes knows that the waves are not the only powerful force in these ecosystems. From the days of shipping grain and coal on sailing vessels like schooners to the wind driven waves of Great Lakes surfers today, the wind is an undeniable feature of Great Lakes ecosystems and communities.
The challenges of global climate change and an energy system based on unsustainable and polluting fossil fuels, however, have recently lead many individuals across the Great Lakes basin to consider how else this immense force could be used to the power our bi-national region in a more sustainable way. The latest wave of interest in Great Lakes wind is coming in the form of offshore wind turbines. While this technology has been used by several European nations, there are currently no offshore wind energy facilities in the United States or Canada. And, of specific interest for the Great Lakes, there are no offshore wind turbines in freshwater systems throughout the entire world.
While it is of upmost importance to reduce our societies’ unhealthy addiction to fossil fuels, it is also crucial that each new idea be carefully examined. We know that jumping full force into developing new ways to produce energy can lead to devastating consequences. And while wind energy may not have the risks of say, nuclear energy, there are environmental, social, and economic considerations that have to be taken in the proposed offshore wind projects that are currently under deliberation at this time.
Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario, and Wisconsin are all in the midst of examining the feasible of constructed offshore wind turbines in the shallower but more biologically productive areas of the Lakes. The attraction to shallow areas is due to the existing offshore wind technology having a 30-meter depth restriction. In every lake, especially Lake Erie, this depth restriction could limit offshore wind projects to the ecologically sensitive nearshore areas. With that being said, there are already a number of potential projects across the entire bi-national Great Lakes Basin.
The project that is farthest along lies in New York’s Great Lakes. In December of 2009, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) released an official Request for Proposal for a utility-scale offshore wind project in the range of 120 MW to 500 MW in either Lake Erie or Lake Ontario, possibly in close proximity to Buffalo. Throughout this past summer and fall, NYPA has held public meetings to discuss the results of last April’s Request for Expressions of Interest and to develop the provisions (such as siting criteria) for their RFP. The deadline for proposals for projects is June 1, 2010.
The pros and cons of each project in every Great Lake follow common arguments. Appeals to jobs in economically depressed regions, desire to the first project developed leading to that region becoming a center for a growing industry, and other social-economic arguments are frequently offered. The impact on avian wildlife, fish spawning, recreational fishing and boating, and aesthetic concerns rank highest amongst those carefully critiquing the projects. While answers remain few at the time, it is a safe bet that offshore wind energy projects are very likely to be on the radar for communities and ecosystems across the Great Lakes in the near future.
Further study and research will only help us fully understand this innovative but oft-times controversial technology. Be sure to follow Great Lakes United’s involvement in and analysis of these projects that have the potential to change our communities and Lakes.
For more information on offshore wind power production and other energy related programming, be sure to visit GLU’s website. To view NYPA’s Great Lakes Offshore Wind Request for Proposals, visit http://www.nypa.gov/NYPAwindpower/RFP.html.
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