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First US Offshore Wind Power Park In Delaware
Dekortage writes "Offshore wind power company Bluewater Wind has announced an agreement to build America's first offshore wind turbine park off the coast of Delaware. 'Each turbine [will sit on] a pole about 250 feet above the waterline... the units are to be constructed to withstand hurricane-force winds. From the shore, the park will be visible only on clear winter days, and the turbines will be nearly invisible during summer months when Rehoboth Beach fills with vacationers. Each blade on the three-blade rotor is to be 150 feet long.' The wind farm will power 50,000 homes in Delaware, using about half of its capacity."
The wind farm will power 50,000 homes in Delaware
Lies. There are no homes in Delaware. Ask yourself, do you know anyone from Delaware?
I thought not.
Delaware is a plot between the banking industry and the DuPonts to get a few free Senators. Don't believe the lies.
Ah, so the industrial park and the office park now have a new companion.
Also, I met a girl and I haven't screwed it up yet!!!
All scenery activists are go to commence with the taking of umbrage.
According to TFA there are also tourists.
But that only begs the question...who would go to Delaware for a vacation?
My family usually makes a trip every year to Bethany Beach, which is just a bit south of Rehoboth Beach. While I understand that it's better for most tourists if the turbines are not visible, it'd be cool if we could make it into a real-life science "field trip" for the kids sometime in the future.
Are there any plans for something like a small boat trip to see them up close? Maybe they could build a museum?
Proudly supporting the Libertarian Party.
All the states around the great lakes could use these as well. What surprises me, is that if you have the pole there, then why not add in tidal or even wave power as well? I believe that the expensive part about all this, is getting anchored securely to the floor.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
And I agree with everything you said.
I was afraid that the US would be losing out on the fundamentals of actually deploying such alternative energy setups. While I don't suspect wind power will be the answer to anything much more than maybe 5% of the world's power needs, we WILL need the engineering and technical know-how. Either we can get in on this stuff early and have our people (And by our people I am well aware some may be from other countries, bust most will stay in the US) gain the expertise and be home-grown, and thus, ultimately contribute to our society, culture or economy, or we would have to rely on experts from other countries almost exclusively, and end up being at the mercy of foreign nationals.
This would be an ideal opportunity to track the total cost of installation and management vs. the total cost for an equivalent 'traditional' power plant.
I wonder if it would be feasible to use the base upon which the turbines sit to put in place tidal generators as well.
What state is Delaware in? Isn't it just a county South of Philadelphia? The wind power will be used to keep the chickens cool in the summer, and warm in the winter, because everybody knows, nobody lives in delaware except the Banks,Duponts, and Chicken Farms (Tyson, Purdue, etc)
This is insane. 1,600,000,000/50,000 is $32,000 per home. Even over 25 years that's $1280/home/year (and this doesn't include maintenance costs). If this is going to be a real solution costs have to come down enormously.
AccountKiller
Not that Delaware is known for its surf, but these things will probably block the little surf those poor, wave hungry longboarders get. They should throw in an artificial surf reef in front of the things to make up for it.
Technical data here...
Bluewater Wind agrees to build a 150 turbine, 450MW wind project 12-13 miles off of Rehoboth Beach. Delmarva Power agrees to buy up to 300MW at any one time. The cost to Delmarva ratepayers for energy and capacity will be 10.56 cents/kWh in 2007 dollars. Delmarva is also purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) associated with its energy purchases.
So evidently these are 150 x 3MW turbines. Generally turbines of this class have a blade space diameter of 100m.
It is interesting to note that while Delaware has no nuclear reactors, it is across the river from the Salem dual 1.1 MWe PWRs and the co-located Hope Creek 1.0 MWe BWR in New Jersey, for a total of 3.2 MWe of nuclear in the neighborhood.
90 feet underground, 75 underwater, 250 above sea. And can withstand Hurricanes? Like to see that test carried out. Really impressive feat if engineering if they can do it. It occurs to me that they mean Hurricane force winds like 60-80mph and not Class 4-5 Hurricane winds of 80-120mph. course now that I consider it wouldnt be many houses needing power if that sort of storm hit.
I'd actually like the reminder that we are doing something like this. I can already see coal-fired power plants from the freeway, why is it a positive thing that something like this, which doesn't belch black smoke, can only been seen? You don't want the tourists to know that you're for a cleaner environment?
I stole this sig from a more creative user.
"the units are to be constructed to withstand hurricane-force winds."
Just like the leeves that held back Katrina so successfully?
There's a beach at Dewey? I only thought there were bars there. Who knew.
They're not answered anywhere on the company's website or in the article...
The answers to these questions are important when determining whether this project is worthy of support or not:
Who is paying to build the windfarm?
Who gets to keep the profit from the windfarm?
For the windfarm they wanted to build around here, the answers were "me" (through tax dollars), and "not me" (as in some private corporation got to keep the profit, even though they didn't pay for the initial investment). Luckily a sufficient number of people were able to see that they were getting screwed through the veil of "environmental responsibility" in order to get the project canceled.
wow, I'm surprised California hasn't jumped in to do it first. Suddenly I feel so....environmentally unsound.
Affordable Health Coverage
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
I actually live in Delaware, and for those fools who aren't in the know, Delaware has some of the lowest property taxes in the area, good rail transit, and good gun laws.
Now, the windmill battle in Delaware was an EPIC battle. On one side, you had the utility that wanted to build a gas turbine, and on the other side, you had the windmill people.
The backdrop is that the utility already doubled rates because of rising fuel prices, and the state was already importing a great deal of energy at spot (read high) prices. To work around this, the state needed its own generation.
Now, the utility wanted to build a new gas turbine facility, because the capital costs were pretty cheap and they had enterprise experience with both operating and constructing them. The windmill people wanted a windmill farm, and, they probably would have lost on merits of costs, because the windmills are nearly twice as expensive as a cheap gas turbine station. However, I think what's happened is that, between everyone being so spooked by the perpetually rising fuel costs, and, a newly enacted state sustainability law, they more or less had to build the wind mill.
It will be cool if it works, but I'm cynically betting on rolling blackouts on calm, hot summer days.
This is my sig.
There are some people who live in Delaware, I've even met a few who work and live there. There is even one county (New Castle) where the people outnumber the chickens!
If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?
If the prop is mounted 250 feet up on the pole, but each blade is 150 ft, that means the diameter of the the prop is 300 ft., so... the blade digs in the water by 50 ft?
Unless of course, the bottom of the blade on the down swing is 250ft. above the water, then 250ft + 300ft means the top blade will be over 550 feet above the surface of the water!?
Me so confuse.
Authority questions you. Return the favor.
Living in Delaware definitely has its perks. Blue crabs, the beaches, pumpkin' chunkin' festivals , scrapple (mmm!). Also, fans of craft beer will note that Dogfish Head is brewed there too.
[1] http://www.bluewaterwind.com/de_overview.htm
[2] http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/10000.html
From "Small Wonder" to "Don't Blink". But for the hundreds of State Troopers on I-95 making up the State's entire budget, you could drive through Delaware in about 6 minutes.
from Suzlon. Their turbines crack.
One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
each blade is over 3 times larger than an 84 passenger schoolbus, and will be subjected to hurricanes. not to mention its *barely* visible from the local beach...so long as its packed to capacity and people are squinting past their sunscreen. sounds like a great plan!
Good people go to bed earlier.
How is this going to be the first, if Cape Wind is scheduled to be completed before it?
I've listened to a lot of conservative talk radio and the one apparent constant is the negative attitude toward wind power. I don't get it.
USA needs to be going full bore with wind power. So what if it only contributes a fraction of the power we need. Any additional source of power is good and worth it if the energy return is positive. Off-shore wind power strikes me as a great alternative to the concerns regarding land-based wind power. Concerns such as overcoming NIMBY resistance, ugly-ling up the landscape, discouraging tourism, etc.
So, what's the deal with the politiking? When you face a problem, you attack that problem on all flanks, which for this problem means investing in all forms of safe, eco-friendly energy. Sometimes that means legislating enticing incentives and direct funding by the government for solutions which cannot immediately generate profits, but would over time if initially invested.
F the politics.
Camping on quad since 1996.
Surely an offshore windfarm would reduce wind speeds on the shore behind it? It seems like this could turn a breezy summer day into an uncomfortably hot day given the right circumstances. Everyone considers wind power to be environmentally friendly by default. Has research been done about the effects it could have on weather and climate?
Despite Huge public backing Cape When faces huge regulatory hurdles from rich folks on the Cape.
Massachusetts politics at its best, turning the state from a would be leader into a follower.
Really really sad
The long-term effects of wind power have never been measured (to the best of my knowledge). We've used Nuclear power before, and we've taken huge steps in reducing the impact its waste has on the environment. If France, of all nations, can have a huge majority of its power supplied by nuclear reactors, why can't the U.S. follow suit?
Delaware, first to ratificate the constitution, first to have an US offshore wind power park.
What a briljant state!
...it's not anywhere close to where a member of the Kennedy clan can see it.
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
...They were only able to snag two of them.
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
What if they equipped the blades with some solar powered panels? Get a little extra juice.
Can I bum a sig?
to generate electricity instead of the unpredictable wind?
From the shore, the park will be visible only on clear winter days, and the turbines will be nearly invisible during summer months when Rehoboth Beach fills with vacationers.
Are these things made out of some sort of thermotransparent material, nearly clear when warm, but becoming somewhat opaque in colder weather? Or are they planning on hauling the wind farm out to sea, and over the horizon during the tourist season?
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
It's interesting to note that most of the wind maps agree that offshore is the best place to stick a wind turbine. If you've ever stood by the ocean, there's always a stiff sea breeze coming from the ocean onto the land.
-Rob
Biblical fiscal responsibility
They're on the metric system, so clearly they're not going to be able to interface with the rest of country, as we all use foot-volts and hertz per yard.
And I like half of you half as much as you deserve.
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
The article talks about the wind farm being so far offshore that you can't see it, as if this is a good thing. Why do people not like to look at wind turbines 1 mile out? I can understand not wanting one over your head, but why don't people who own real estate nearby think they look cool, not just intrinsically but also for what they represent?
Honestly, we need some hard-headed leadership that will literally jam through as many alternative energy solutions as possible, even if they are only close to being cost effective. By diversifying our energy resources we will lower the overall cost. Part of the reason oil is so high is because the market is so nervous about a disruption.
Every time you look at a windmill, if you are so lucky to own some nice coastal real estate with one in sight in the future, please think about the lives saved, think about the money not going to corrupt governments, think about how much you're helping the planet. Maybe then you will protest to HAVE them in your sight, instead of not. They are beautiful.
You can cross the bridges into New Jersey for free, but you have to pay to get back out.
"the units are to be constructed to withstand hurricane-force winds. " Being a Floridian, I have to ask what wind speeds these turbines will be constructed to withstand. As we all know, there are 5 classes of hurricanes. Would these survive and installation in the Gulf?
I grew up there (and now live in Houston -- from a job I got on Slashdot no less).
Rehobeth is a beautiful area -- Delaware's #1 industry is tourism believe-it-or-not -- and it's just plain smart of them not to have them visible. Since the state is geologically a sand bar, the beaches are extremely nice and it's not a huge tourist hotspot like Florida or Jersey. They've got a decent sized park nearby (Cape Henlopen) where you can walk from forest to beach and take a dip if you want without all those pesky tourists.
Just reminds me of driving home from my last job and having a reasonably priced pint at Arena's.
-- Political fascism requires a Fuhrer.
Has anyone considered the impact on the weather system? A windfarm pulls energy out of the wind (by definition), so that energy is not there to carry things like rain.
If you put one off-shore won't that impact on the rainfall inland (or at least down-wind) of the windfarm?
The area where this is being built is one of the most important migratory bird routes on the East Coast... So, this is actually a pretty serious thing to have going up.
Seriously people... why not just go Nuclear? DE could build two plants and probably have enough electricity left over to become a net energy exporter to the surrounding states.
That's easy to beat. I had a girlfriend once. Of course, you wouldn't know her. She moved in Canada.
Can anyone enlighten me as to how offshore platforms such as in TFA will be able to withstand such a corrosive environment while remaining cost effective?
First it was power lines, now this.. If you don't get barbecued on a high voltage power line, you could end up chopped up by turbine blades.. Nice :)
The peak capacity of a wind farm is probably several times the average you can get from it. Besides, you have to use it when it blows, you cannot store wind.
In hydroelectric power stations the peak capacity is usually twice the average power. You can deliver more power in the 6~10 pm hours when consumption is higher and store water from midnight to 6 am when consumption is lower. You don't have this option with wind power, therefore wind can never be your main energy source.
Good ole Teddy K couldn't stop this project it looks like. I hope it works out and they go back to MASS. and put one there.
Congratulations to the OP on pulling in so many suckers.
Congratulations also to those suckers who so patiently and painstakingly explained to the OP where he was going wrong.
Hear hear!
I've often wondered what the objection is as well. --Having seen acres of white windmills, I can honestly say I was filled with pride at the sight. They were actually quite beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint. Without making any judgments about other forms of power generation, compare the simple aesthetics of wind power to the gray cooling towers associated with nuclear power, or the toxic smokestacks from coal burning plants.
I think the complaints are almost more grudging responses to the implication that we have been in some ways irresponsible and dirty as a culture with respect to our approach to power generation. Because people don't like to feel guilty, they choose instead to sneer at and complain about alternative solutions. --Or perhaps they are squeamish about things they register as being, "Touchey-Feeley", (like a grade school kid being afraid of cooties. "Caring about the environment is GAAAAAY! EEEWWW!"), and so they react in the same way.
Don't laugh. I know far too many grown men who are emotionally still stuck in Jr. High. While this kind of behavior is more prevalent among geeks than the gen pop, there appears to be a counter-balance in effect; that is, some of the most enlightened people I've ever met are also geeks, and their enlightenment derives exactly through geekdom. Geeks are extremists.
-FL
Comment removed based on user account deletion
One reason to site of shore, land costs; second, failed blades are less likely to cut people in half.
"the turbines will be nearly invisible during summer months when Rehoboth Beach fills with vacationers"
I know they are way up in the air, but invisible spinning blades never really sounds like a good idea to me...
Otherwise, you'd have been SOL, Delaware.
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/12/17/90822.shtml
Pack of billionaire hypocrites, the lot of them.
>:P
Regards;
Search YouTube for "Wind Turbine Failure". The video I saw was spectacular, but I can't remember the exact name.