Cape Wind - Renewable Energy for Massachusetts

     One of Massachusetts biggest wind energy's programs is Cape Wind. The potential energy gain could power a majority of residences on Cape Cod and the islands. Amid delays and legal tie-ups, Cape Wind could either be a major milestone for renewable energy or a major setback if continued to be fought. If successful the project could lead to other natural energy projects being accepted and incorporated in Massachusetts and the New England area.

     Cape Wind proposes 130 offshore wind turbines each at 258 feet tall. The wind turbines will be arrayed in a grid pattern of parallel rows. In each row wind turbines will be .34 nautical miles apart and each row will be .54 nautical miles apart. The average expected production will be 170 megawatts which is almost 75% of the 230 megawatt average electricity demand for Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The turbines would significantly reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and the occurring air pollution that it causes, nor would it create any waste such as a nuclear power plant.

     One of the delays impeded upon Cape Wind comes from its own regulatory reviewers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decision that the Cape Wind would not be a hazard to flight plans was overturned recently, the appeals court remanding a new review. The opponents argued that the FAA violated its governing statute, misread its own regulations, and failed to calculate the dangers posed to local aviation. The new review could take about another two years, which unfortunately pushes the project further back from its hopeful 2020 completion date.

     Several groups have fought the construction of the wind farm on environmental, fishing, and tourism concerns. The environmental concerns such as migratory birds and sea mammals habitats has been studied and overturned as there seems to be little impact on the way theses creatures interact with the wind turbines, the birds seem to simply adapt to flying around them and since there is no roosting space are deterred from breeding there. Several fish species are expected to increase as marine growth covers the bases of the turbines as a study of European wind farms is stated to have occurred. As for the visual aspect of concern for tourism the turbines are expected to only be viewed about an inch above the horizon from the cape.

     I am personally hoping to see the Cape Wind project start construction and put into action.The jobs that it will create and energy reliability and dependability it will provide an economic boost sorely needed. I see an increase in tourism and mark of modernity to the way we approach renewable energy sources, and also marks Massachusetts as one of the firsts to improve upon the way we harness these resources.

sources cited:
http://www.capewind.org/article2.htm
                         
http://www.capewind.org/index.php


http://www.boemre.gov/offshore/renewableenergy/CapeWind.htm