[NachoLibre]

I received the below press release from MSSA this morning about a proposed wind farm 12 miles offshore from Ocean City. I haven't really developed strong opinions on it either way nor do I have an agenda, but I thought I'd post tihs to get feedback from others who are more "in the know" and can add some knowledge.

Ocean City Wind Farm
Wednesday, December 3rd
(PASADENA, MD) - Tuesday evening the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association (MSSA) welcomed Dave Blazer of BluewaterWind LLC to discuss the proposed wind farm 12 miles offshore of Ocean City, Maryland.
The wind farm would consist of 200 wind turbines spaced one half of a mile apart and each standing nearly 30 stories high. Each turbine would produce around 3 mega-watts of electricity and all together around 600 mega-watts, enough to power 130,000 Maryland homes.
With our nation's dependence on fossil fuels and its harmful effects on the environment, wind farms are starting to become popular with most coastal states. Offshore wind farms are capable of producing large amounts of electricity with little to no damage to the environment.
"Environmentally, this just makes sense", Blazer said.
Maryland is in need of energy as it will start to experience an energy shortfall by 2011 and brown-outs and black-outs as early as 2013. Blazer stated that Maryland imports nearly 40% of its electricity and there are no new generation projects in the works. "This would put 600 mega-watts into the PJM grid for Maryland residents", said Blazer.
For the past twenty years the country of Denmark has relied on wind energy to help power its capital city of Copenhagen. Denmark is able to predict within 95% accuracy the amount of energy they will produce in a 24 hour period.
"One less barrel of foreign oil this country imports, is beneficial to everyone", said Richard Novotny, Executive Director of the MSSA.
Economically speaking, wind energy is considered to be the most readily available and technologically ready for mass production and distribution. Unlike the current price for electricity, wind energy is very consistent.
BluewaterWind is asking for a long-term purchasing agreement from any of the major suppliers. This would allow Maryland to purchase electricity at a low and consistent price for a long period of time, therefore cutting back its imported electricity. The only cost associated with wind energy is the cost to build the wind turbines.
For more information click on the following link - wjz.com - Wind Co. Could Generate Cheaper Electricity Prices

 

[WHACKMASTER]

I got that too and think its a great idea. There is a land based setup in Atlantic City.

Jeff

 

[goose70]

also a much smaller one being proposed on land at Greenburry Pt., across from Annapolis

 

[rocksteady]

Can you say "FISH STRUCTURE"?:yes:

 

[Timbo]

I wonder if fishing would be permitted around them?

 

[rocksteady]

I wonder if fishing would be permitted around them?

How are they gonna stop it ? That's a good ways offshore , not like the gass docks in the bay . They permit fishing around all of the offshore oil rigs down south in the gulf and the fishing is fantastic .

 

[Seahunter]

Just be careful waht you wish for.

People are paranoid right now and would sell their first born child for cheap fuel. The wind speculators know this and will try to take advantage of the situation if we let them.

I have nothing against wind power but wind farms needs to be regulated as visual eye sores. Nothing like having 200 foot tall bilboards scattered all over every mountain top and plateau in this country.

I just happened to drive by this "Wind Farm" in upper NY last summer. Talk about an eye sore.

Maple Ridge Wind Farm : Why Tug Hill

 

[NachoLibre]

I actually think it's kinda cool-looking and, as mentioned: STRUCTURE. Also, anything that can contribute to the lessening of our dependence on foreign oil or provide us with a clean fuel source is a step in the right direction. My big concern is whether wind pwer has a viable business model through which it can be developed. Right now for my company, we can say that we run on 100% wind power because we pay for "green tags", which are basically subsidies to wind farms, who currently operate at a loss when selling energy to the providers. We don't market it because I think it's misleading to consumers.

 

[Thebigonegotaway]

Not to start an argument, but I don't think they are an eyesore. Houses, powerplants, skyscrapers, bridges, pyramids, stonehenge, really anything built by man could be considered an eyesore. It is an eye of the beholder kind of thing, that is useful to mankind.

I would like to see these things all over the place, if (and it is a big if) they actually can produce a reasonable amount of energy. We are not going to get rid of fossil fuels, but we can reduce the use of FF in some applications, thus leaving more for other applications, it is a good thing.

I like nukes, and hydroelectric, etc...

Also windmills are big attractions in Holland arent they?

Of course we could just continue to bicker about what we shouldn't do and watch oil shoot up again, which it will.

 

[jnashed]

I like the idea too. especially if built offshore. Imagine all the fishing possibility near the structure. Ask the fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico what they think of Oil rigs. They love them and the fishing possibilities.

Jim

 

[Jerry Grimes]

The Kennedy family seems to think they are.They along with some other high rollers up in Mass.have stopped wind farms out in front of the castles.

 

[mytime]

Like everyone else said here, fishing structure would be great. I am all for it as long as they put some stipulation in there about what happens to these turbines 20 yrs down the road when they are past their life expectancy. Do they just let them rot and fall apart or are they responsible for removing them down the road?

 

[David]

ITS about time. I posted a month or 2 ago on the OFFSHORE board RE: the ones currently planned for N.J. and Del. will be soon to follow. MORE structure to make them Feeshes stick around HERE...:clapping2:

 

[AIK68J]

I think structure way out on the horizon would be better than land based here are some shots of "Steel Winds" in Lackawanna NY (on the old Beth. Steel site)

The land is way to polluted with heavy metals etc...
Good point as too what happens when they wear out and we are having inside and outside experts with impact studies without any resolutions

 

[goinsfishin]

Like everyone else said here, fishing structure would be great. I am all for it as long as they put some stipulation in there about what happens to these turbines 20 yrs down the road when they are past their life expectancy. Do they just let them rot and fall apart or are they responsible for removing them down the road?

I dont think thats a realm cause for concern........as the technology improves they will update the innards to get a useful productive life out of their investment, not to mention greater production. Think of the old microwave towers that used to dot the rural landscape.....they all got converted to cellular.

 

[klramp]

I dont think thats a realm cause for concern........as the technology improves they will update the innards to get a useful productive life out of their investment, not to mention greater production. Think of the old microwave towers that used to dot the rural landscape.....they all got converted to cellular.

I agree, this is a significant investment on proven technology and will most likely be very well maintained. With it 12 miles offshore folks can't complain about it being an eyesore or the nice they generate.

Ken

 

[mytime]

goinsfishin,
I agree with you that they will update them for a while, but eventually, steel or whatever they build them out of will deteriorate enough that they will not be able to use them anymore. Maybe at that point they become artificial reefs which would be fine with me as well! Just something to think about.

 

[goose70]

Of course we could just continue to bicker about what we shouldn't do and watch oil shoot up again, which it will.

We should be clear that wind power does not directly effect, in any meaningful way, petroleum consumption. A miniscule amount of petroleum is used in power generation. It's almost all coal, natural gas, nuke or hydro right now. What wind (and other non-coal) does is reduce pollution (CO2, but even if you're not a global warming believer, coal plants also emit other harmful things, not the least of which is the mercury that prevents us from eating very many local fish meals).

Eventually, wind (and solar, etc.) could indirectly help lower our dependence on petrol by allowing more natural gas to be diverted from gas-fired turbines to transportation use (especially buses and commercial freight). It would also provide the capacity to allow plug-in electric cars to become widespread, assuming that the technology allows such cars to be sold cheap enough to be widely purchased.

Wind may also provide greater cost control, since unlike coal or natural gas, you don't have to dig around in search of wind, but that remains to be seen (I think).

 

[AIK68J]

I agree, this is a significant investment on proven technology and will most likely be very well maintained. With it 12 miles offshore folks can't complain about it being an eyesore or the nice they generate.

Ken

according to the company they will not be that visable on the horizon can be covered up by your thumb.

 

[Alley Cat]

Just be careful waht you wish for.

People are paranoid right now and would sell their first born child for cheap fuel. The wind speculators know this and will try to take advantage of the situation if we let them.

I have nothing against wind power but wind farms needs to be regulated as visual eye sores. Nothing like having 200 foot tall bilboards scattered all over every mountain top and plateau in this country.

I just happened to drive by this "Wind Farm" in upper NY last summer. Talk about an eye sore.

[

Looks better than a coal plant to me!