Will the offshore wind projects help combat climate change?

It seems logical to assume that wind power would replace the equivalent amount of fossil-fuel-generated electricity and reduce the associated CO2 emissions, thus addressing climate change. Approximately 40% of the time, offshore wind turbines will produce large quantities of electricity; yet, not continuously, nor predictably. At other times, when the winds don’t blow, the turbines will produce very little, or no power at all. As a result, the grid will still need fossil fuel generators that can produce 100% of our energy needs. Because of the irregular nature of wind, the fossil fuel generators stabilizing the grid will be forced to cycle up and down. This inefficient operating style raises their carbon emissions quite dramatically, much like city driving uses far more gasoline than highway driving. If batteries could capture the turbine-generated electricity during windy conditions, they could stabilize the grid during calm periods, and thereby replace the fossil-fuel generators. But without adequate battery storage capacity, offshore wind turbines will cause fossil fuel generators to burn less efficiently and will raise carbon dioxide emissions. Real-world data from Rhode Island demonstrates the correlation between adding wind power to the grid and an increase in CO2 emissions (see Figure above). Despite a decrease in consumption and an increase in wind capacity, emissions from electricity generation in Rhode Island have increased over time.

Developers themselves admit that these massive complexes will not help combat climate change. The Vineyard Wind environmental impact statement states, “Overall, it is anticipated that there would be no collective impact on global warming as a result of offshore wind projects, including the Proposed Action...”[4] The Revolution Wind draft environmental impact statement also acknowledges that the full build-out of all projects, in total, will have “no measurable influence on climate change”.[5] None of the websites for the projects claim they will help combat climate change or decrease carbon emissions. The purpose and need statements of the environmental impact statements merely assert the projects will allow states to meet their renewable energy mandates.

[1] https://eerscmap.usgs.gov/uswtdb/

[2] www.epa.com

[3] www.iso-ne.com

[4] BOEM 2018, Vineyard Wind, FEIS, Volume 2, A-66

[5] BOEM 2022, Revolution Wind DEIS, 3.8-11