Wind speeds on the ocean are more consistent and faster and allow for the greatest energy production during when people use electricity the most. Plus, there is more space out in the ocean for taller and larger turbines, which generate more energy.

Rhode Island is home to the first offshore wind farm off of Block Island. At first, residents objected to the turbines that would block their view, but now the turbines have become a tourist attraction and a template for other states hoping to implement larger wind projects. 

Still, some are concerned that wind farms may impact the fishing industry by damaging fishing equipment or changing the ocean’s ecosystem. 

To talk more about these issues, we’re hosting a live panel discussion on offshore wind and fisheries on Thursday, January 30th at District Hall in Providence.

Script:

Megan Hall: Welcome to Possibly, where we take on huge problems like the future of our planet, and use science to find everyday solutions. I’m Megan Hall.

Here in Rhode Island. we have the only offshore wind farm in the United States. It’s just off the coast of Block Island. 

So we’re curious: what’s the point of putting wind farms in the ocean? And will we see more of them in Rhode Island?

We had Max Kozlov and Molly Magid from our Possibly team look into this question. Welcome Max and Molly!

Max Kozlov: Hi Megan!

Molly Magid: Hello!

Megan Hall: So, why would someone want to put a wind farm in the ocean instead of on a hill or in a field?  

Max Kozlov: Well, the main reason to put wind offshore is that wind speeds on the ocean are faster and more consistent.

Matt Morrisey: Twenty miles from where we’re standing right now is some of the best wind in the world.

Molly Magid: That’s Matt Morrisey. He’s the vice president of Orsted*, the company that led the Block Island project.

Max Kozlov: He says there’s another reason to put wind offshore- wind turbines are extremely large—about as tall as the Washington Monument, with blades longer than a football field. 

Molly Magid: The taller and larger turbines are, the more energy they produce, because the wind is stronger higher up. 

Max Kozlov: And there’s a lot of space out in the ocean.

Megan Hall: But what happens if the wind slows down? Or the wind isn’t blowing? Can we depend on wind farms as a consistent source of energy?

Molly Magid: That’s a problem for any wind farm, regardless of where it’s located. 

Max Kozlov: But, Matt says offshore wind is a little better at addressing this problem. 

Matt Morrisey: Full scale production is in the late afternoon and early evening. That aligns perfectly with when the grid needs power the most.

Megan Hall: So why aren’t there more offshore wind farms?

Molly Magid: Well, Matt says that for many years, offshore wind was perceived as too expensive and contentious.

Max Kozlov: some residents of Block Island didn’t want the wind turbines to disturb their view of the ocean.

Molly Magid: Plus, there were concerns about how the turbines might affect birds and marine life. 

Megan Hall: So, what’s happening with the wind farm now?

Molly Magid: Carol Grant, the commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources says once the turbines were installed, the wind farm actually became a tourist attraction and a model for other offshore wind developers.

Carol Grant: It has attracted people from all over the world… 

Max Kozlov: Carol says the Block Island was something of an experiment: to test whether locals would approve the project and whether it could function in strong coastal winds. 

Carol Grant: What’s happening now is that Rhode Island and other states are procuring much larger projects. 

Molly Magid: Now, her office is working with Orsted* on a project that will put more than 80 offshore wind turbines between Martha’s Vineyard and Montauk, New York. 

Megan Hall: How will a project of that size affect people who use the ocean?

Max Kozlov: Here in the Ocean State, some in the fishing community are worried that their boats and equipment might get damaged if they fish near the turbines. 

Molly Magid: Others are worried that these wind farms will change the ocean’s ecosystem. 

Max Kozlov: But climate change has been warming the ocean, which also affects fish populations. 

Molly Magid: And wind energy is renewable,  so it can help us address climate change.

Max Kozlov: So, there’s a lot to talk about. 

Megan Hall: Great! Thanks Max and Molly!  

We’re hosting our live panel discussion on offshore wind and fisheries on Thursday, January 30th at District Hall in Providence. The event is free and open to anyone. We hope you’ll join us! Reserve your ticket here.

Possibly is a co-production of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society and the Public’s Radio.

References

1. https://www.theday.com/article/20120527/NWS01/305279956

*Correction: An earlier version of this story identified the company that led the Block Island project as ‘Deepwater Wind.’ This company was bought by Orsted in 2018. We’ve changed the text of this article, but the audio has not been updated.

The post What’s The Point Of Putting Wind Farms In The Ocean? appeared first on TPR: The Public's Radio.

The post What’s The Point Of Putting Wind Farms In The Ocean? appeared first on Possibly.