Trouble with the Block Island Wind Farms

[george]

​

I've been checking around on the sudden and unplanned shutdown of the Block Island windmills. Many local reporters in the region believe that there's more going on there and that this is not routine. I've unsuccessfully tried speaking with anyone that would go on the record.

They did shut them down suddenly at the end of July and said they will be down a few weeks.

The offshore wind farm has into problems in the past. In 2019, an undersea electric cable became exposed at Crescent Beach, which unnerved residents.

It's issues like these that trouble me. My fear is the day will come when the oceans are littered with these monstrosities. I'm all for clean energy, just not at the cost of our beautiful oceans.

 

[Capt Richie]

I just looked it up..routine maintenance should be back up soon...I guess time will tell ..and hope they learned something from them for the new wind farms ,that will dot our offshore's waters ..

 

[OVERBORED]

The newer windmills are so much bigger than what's there currently if you can believe it.

 

[george]

The newer windmills are so much bigger than what's there currently if you can believe it.

They're so big that the fans are no longer being accepted in landfills. There are 8,000 blades in the US that need replacing and they are just 10 years old. They can't break them down and over time this too will be a problem.

 

[Capt Richie]

George I understand your viewpoint and I do agree with some of the points you make...Bottom line we need to do something to get away from coal & oil... Our generation made its mistakes & if this is the worst mistake the next generation is making ..their way ahead of ours ..

 

[george]

George I understand your viewpoint and I do agree with some of the points you make...Bottom line we need to do something to get away from coal & oil... Our generation made its mistakes & if this is the worst mistake the next generation is making ..their way ahead of ours ..

All generations make their mistakes that the next has to fix. My fear is they want it so bad that they're not that concerned about its effects on our oceans.

 

[Capt Richie]

All generations make their mistakes that the next has to fix. My fear is they want it so bad that they're not that concerned about its effects on our oceans.

sorry you feel that way ..but its just not true in fact the opposite ..Its big oil & gas that don't ..

 

[Capt Richie]

huge oil slick in the GOM after Ida...

 

[Roccus7]

huge oil slick in the GOM after Ida...

Nothing on the wires here, got a link or is your GOM = Gulf of Mexico, while in the Northeast, GOM = Gulf of Maine???

 

[george]

huge oil slick in the GOM after Ida...

I agree this is an issue, but I'd like to keep this about what's happening here on the east coast with the windmill farm that is planned along the coast. This isn't about oil or wind, its about all of the unanswered questions to the many hurdles to this huge project.

I just read that building them with cement may not be good enough. They're looking at pile driving them now. It's much easier and cheaper. It is estimated that it takes over 3500 very loud hammers to get one in the ground. It will also eliminate the 800 jobs their touting. I urge you to read this

I believe that could be devastating to last surviving humpbacks in the ocean. These magnificent creatures need as much protection as every other endangered species in the world.

It seems that it's being rushed and not thought out enough. If there's anything we should have learned over the years is that we spend ton's of money without a final plan. Kinda like Shorum.

So again, let's keep it to this project. Trust me we are being lied to here, or at the very least deceived and it will come out throughout the process.

 

[OVERBORED]

The fact that Warren Buffett is one of the biggest investors in wind power, I'd say it's here to stay.

Interesting that the same groups who clamour for clean energy are willing to ignore some obvious environmental impacts.

Captain of the Morningstar out of Maryland had some interesting observations on the activity of Marine life during underwater surveys.

 

[OVERBORED]

We can do all we want to try and stem global warming but the reality is if China and Russia dont join the fight, its a losing battle!

 

[george]

We can do all we want to try and stem global warming but the reality is if China and Russia dont join the fight, its a losing battle!

I get that these issues ultimatelt are tied together but again this topic is about the wind mills that are almost certain to be built along the entire east coast. I'm looking at what effect that has on all fisherman, commercial and recreational, as well as its effect on fish, and their migrations.

Please stay on topic. I know it's not easy but there's so much more to lose here than most of us realize.

 

[jpd]

I'd imagine everything is a lot more expensive if they're in the water.

Retiring worn-out wind turbines could cost billions that nobody has

This is a story about death and resurrection, and as with all such stories, faith plays its part. Texas is by far the leading wind energy producer in the United States, generating more than 20,000 megawatts of electricity each year. That is about one-fourth of the nation's wind-energy...

energycentral.com

If Duke decides to shutter a power plant, including its wind farms, the company is committed to restoring the site to its previous state, she said.

"Regardless of fuel type, whether its gas or coal or wind or solar, once a power plant is no longer in service we restore the land to how it was before we got there," McGee said.

 

[george]

Retiring worn-out wind turbines could cost billions that nobody has

This is a story about death and resurrection, and as with all such stories, faith plays its part. Texas is by far the leading wind energy producer in the United States, generating more than 20,000 megawatts of electricity each year. That is about one-fourth of the nation's wind-energy...

energycentral.com

Great piece and pretty much confirming what I've been saying here. There are many unanswered questions.

 

[Roccus7]

Interesting read. Got to assume ocean wind turbine decommissioning will coast way more than $200K.

 

[OVERBORED]

Would wind farming be viable without government subsidies?

I guess we'll find out after 2023..........Might just be a graveyard of windmills just like we have with all the decommissioned nuclear plants.

 

[captmike28]

Virtually none of these "green energy initiatives" work without massive government (taxpayer) subsidies. Wind, solar, Electric Cars, etc. are all unable to work as economically as fossil and nuclear fuel alternatives. OK perhaps as a partial supplemental plan, but not as a primary source of energy.

As Overbored just pointed out, chances are good all the so called "environmentalists" will wind up causing even more pollution when they are done feeling good about themselves. Who are really the smart folks now... the "dinosaurs" who actually study and research all aspects of scientific studies or the young "ivy league elites" who think they are better educated (indoctrinated) than the rest of us?

 

[OVERBORED]

Just read an article how the contractors have provisions regarding being able to use the best available technology at yhe time of construction. Apparently the 2megawatt windmills (old tech) are 200ft tall. (Block Island) The new 11 megawatt towers are 500ft tall!

For the new towers to not be seen from shore, they would need to be 35miles out.

The footprint is looking much bigger now!!!!!

 

[george]

Another question that's yet to be answered is what are the staging areas going to look like? Hopefully, it won't look anything like the video below. I'm thinking Pt Jefferson residents may take issue with it. And these are the smaller ones. I've yet to find any renditions of what ours will look like, but I'm guessing it's something like this.