Important Information About Offshore Wind
Where are the offshore wind developments?
1400 Square Miles
The nine offshore wind projects off the coast of RI and MA will industrialize 1400 square miles of ocean with over 1000 turbines, each between 873-1000+ feet tall. Situated just 16 miles off the coast of RI, they will cover Coxes Ledge, one of the most fertile marine ecosystems in the world. Despite hosting all 9 projects, Rhode Island will only receive 1/18th of the electricity.
8% of the Continental Shelf
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's planning areas will cover almost 8% of the US continental shelf along the Atlantic Coast. The Biden administration would like to increase offshore wind development to consume 22 million acres of Atlantic coastal waters.
Coxes Ledge
Two of the projects off the coast of Rhode Island in the first map, Revolution Wind and SouthFork Wind, will cover the entire unique marine ecosystem called Coxes Ledge. Coxes Ledge, a complex geological formation, supports a diversity of marine species equivalent to a coral reef. Teaming with life, it hosts the endangered North Atlantic right whale during the winter months and is one of the most productive fisheries in New England.
Why does Coxes Ledge matter?
What happened?
Back in 2012, Jack Reed, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Save the Bay all declared Coxes Ledge safe from offshore wind development. The removal of Coxes Ledge from the Wind Energy Leasing Area was touted as a victory for RI fishermen. What happened? And why did they abandon our fishermen?
Read the announcement from Jack Reed’s office.
Why install turbines on Coxes Ledge?
Shallow depths reduce the cost of construction, but at the price of destroying this unique marine ecosystem.
Why did our politicians let this happen, even after they promised to protect Coxes Ledge?
Watch the Instagram reel.
Spawning Grounds & Foraging Habitat
Coxes Ledge is one of the only remaining spawning grounds for Southern New England Cod and a winter foraging region for 5 endangered whale species. NOAA has designated Coxes Ledge and the surrounding Wind Energy Lease area a habitat of particular concern. Ørsted agreed to remove turbine locations from Coxes Ledge “to the degree practicable.” The black X’s mark the turbines Ørsted removed. Coxes Ledge will still be covered with turbines and inter-array cables.
Atlantic Cod
Siting offshore turbines and the accompanying inter-array cables on Coxes Ledge will destroy this fragile ecosystem and will threaten the survival of Southern New England Cod. Cod loyally return to the same spawning grounds each year to breed. If their normal grounds are altered and can no longer support spawning, they will not no where to relocate. The noise of both the construction and the operation of the wind projects on Coxes Ledge may threaten the survival of this species.
NOAA Warned BOEM
Scientists at NOAA have repeatedly warned BOEM, the government agency that permits offshore wind projects, that constructing offshore wind on Coxes Ledge could drive Atlantic cod to extinction. Yet, the US government has repeatedly ignored their warnings.
Letter from NOAA to BOEM, June 2023
Letter explaining the risk to Atlantic Cod.
BOEM Ignores NOAA
BOEM ignores the risk to cod and permits both projects regardless of NOAA's concerns.
BOEM Ignores NOAA's Warning
Jennifer Dlouhy reports for Bloomberg News that BOEM has ignored the risk to cod.
Save Coxes Ledge
We now have over 2,700 signatures to save Coxes Ledge, but we would like more. Please distribute the link to family, neighbors, and friends to help gather more signatures.
Will offshore wind reduce the cost of electricity?
The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that offshore wind-generated electricity will cost more than any other type of electricity.
The High Cost of Low-Value Wind Power
Subsidized wind generates the least amount of power when it is most needed.
By Jonathan A. Lesser
Mads Nipper, the CEO of the Danish offshore wind energy Giant, Ørsted, insists that consumers will have to pay more for their electricity.
The Wall Street Journal report
The editorial board of the WSJ calls it “Green Corporate Welfare.” All on the backs of the average US citizen.
Who suffers?
Those on fixed incomes will suffer the most. High electricity rates drive manufacturing overseas and burden the average RI resident with more financial stress.
The Benefits of Offshore Wind Come At A High Cost.
The Economist Allen Brooks sums up the financial consequences in his report on the high cost of offshore wind.
How tall are the turbines?
The turbines off RI and MA will be larger than the largest turbine depicted here.
Ørsted is installing Siemens Gamesa SG-11 turbines. They will stand between 873-1100 feet tall, taller than any building in Boston. Larger turbines destroy more ocean floor, generate more heat from their transmission lines, and will be more vulnerable to the stress from the harsh Atlantic environment. Size matters.
Is bigger always better?
These turbines will be over 873 feet tall, taller than any building in Boston. They have never been tested for reliability in hurricane-force winds. This image compares the height of the Sakonnet Lighthouse to the Revolution Wind turbine. The development off the coast of RI will be the largest construction project in the ocean. China has not even installed this sized turbine in the ocean.
Why Bigger is not always Better.
Modern Power Systems' report on GCube analysis. Analysis of the vertical limit for offshore wind turbines.
Large Blades have environmental impacts.
Each blade will extend almost 300 feet and is constructed from Balsa wood impregnated with epoxy resins. The blades for ONE turbine require the destruction of more than 40 Balsa trees. Lumbar harvesters are pillaging the Amazon rainforests to supply wind companies with the wood they need. Siemens Gamesa is the single largest consumer of Balsa wood in the world.
Read about deforestation in South America.
Have the developers planned for decommissioning?
Who is liable?
Once built, developers will disassociate themselves from the liability by turning each project into a limited liability company (LLC). BOEM does not require specific decommissioning plans.
Who pays?
The Federal agency, BOEM, is changing the regulations to benefit the developers, not the US citizens. The agency will no longer require the offshore wind developers, all multi billion dollar companies, to set aside money for decommissioning within the first decade. If a cable or a turbine fails, the US citizens will pay.
BOEM's New Modernization Rule: Document from the US Federal Register
The New Modernization rule allows offshore wind developers to proceed without setting aside financial resources for decommissioning.
How much will it cost?
Some estimate the cost of decommissioning could reach 70% of construction costs. With over 1000 turbines slated for the waters off RI and MA, this could cost over 30 billion dollars.
Decommissioning Costs: Jadali describes the European Experience
The need for decommissioning has begun to arise in Europe. Here is an analysis of the cost.
Will offshore wind help combat climate change?
The US Government Says NO
The Government Agency that permits the projects does not expect them to help.
Offshore Wind: No Measurable Influence on Climate Change
Will these help decrease CO2 emissions or fossil fuel use?
Developers Never Claim to Help Climate Change
The developers, themselves, never claim offshore wind will help climate change, reduce CO2, or replace fossil fuels.
Revolution Wind Fact Sheet
This fact sheet from the Revolution Wind website demonstrates that they never claim to help climate change or reduce CO2 emissions, they merely will help RI and CT meet their mandates.
Energy Analysts say NO
Miles Bidwell, an expert in the energy sector, warns that offshore wind will never help global warming.
The Myth of offshore Wind
Miles Bidwell’s paper titled, The Myth of Offshore Wind CO2 Reduction, explains why adding intermittent energy to the grid without battery backup power will not help climate change, nor will it reduce CO2.
Will offshore wind reduce CO2 emissions?
The Intermittency Problem
Without adequate battery backup, offshore wind will require 100% backup capacity at all times.
The Washington Post: Natural Gas
Renewables have a secret friend.
What happens when the wind dies?
When the wind dies, traditional power plants will have to cycle up immediately to supply electricity to the grid during this period.
Out to Sea: The Dismal Economics of Offshore Wind
Jonathan Lesser describes the economics of offshore wind.
Inefficient Back-up Power
Traditional power plants will have to cycle up and down to accommodate fluctuations in wind power. This forces traditional power plants to operate inefficiently. Such inefficient operation will emit more CO2 for less electricity.
Ben Riggs writes about the fallacy of offshore wind.
Has offshore wind reduced Europe's use of fossil fuels?
Fossil Fuel Use
Based on Europe’s experience, renewables without adequate battery backup, do not reduce fossil fuel consumption.
The Wall Street Journal: Why are carbon emissions up?
Renewables have not decreased our use of fossil fuels. We cannot blame this on China. They were in lock-down due to the COVID-19 pandemic during this time period.
Coal Use in Germany
When Russia turned off the gas, Germany resorted to burning coal and wood because renewables are intermittent and require a constant backup source of electricity. Unable to rely on wind, Germany restarted previously defunct coal plants and dismantled wind turbines to access coal reserves.
In Germany, wind turbines are being torn down to make way for a coal mine—and RBC is financing it
By John Woodside, Canada’s National Observer
Germany's Dependency on Fossil Fuels
In theory, Germany has the capacity to produce twice as much electricity as it needs with renewables, yet it still requires coal, wood and natural gas for its electricity. Read why wind power without battery storage will not decrease our dependence on fossil fuels.
The Myth of Wind Farm CO2 reduction
By Miles Bidwell
Unable to sustain itself on renewables and without natural gas from Russia, Europe turns to burning its old-growth trees.
If the natural gas companies that have historically plundered the North Sea, such as Ørsted, Shell, and Equinor could have produced more natural gas during the gas crisis, they would have. And Europe would have used it. Has Denmark turned to wind because it can no longer extract oil and gas from the North Sea? Italy now has as much, if not more, natural gas reserves than Denmark.
California’s renewable efforts fail to decrease CO2.
In the past 7 years, as California has added renewable energy to its grid, the average overall carbon cost of each KWh of electricity has stayed the same.
Denmark's Hidden Emissions
Denmark imports and burns wood for a quarter of its electricity needs. The emissions from this practice are worse than burning coal.
Biomass Consumption in Denmark and the Hidden Emissions
Denmark does not count the emissions from wood burning, nor the carbon cost of imparting this wood in its overall carbon calculations.