World Wind Watch | Green Energy News

April 24, 2005 – Vol.10 No.5

WORLD WIND WATCH.

There’s been stiff opposition to the Cape Wind 420-megawatt wind project planned for the waters off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Homeowners along the shore fear the turbines miles away will spoil the view.

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and FPL Energy have submitted a joint application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a 140-megawatt offshore wind project along the south shore of Long Island, New York. Will there be opposition there too? Very likely. That shoreline, like Cape Cod is dotted with expensive ocean-front homes.

The project, as planned by the partnership, will have 40, 3.6-megawatt turbines clustered in an eight square mile area 4.1 miles from shore due south of Cedar Beach. A ten-mile long cable will bring power ashore to a substation in West Amityville. Operating at rated capacity, the project will provide enough power for 105,000 average-sized homes.

Like Cape Wind an extensive review process will take place including public hearings. Cape Wind generated a number of lawsuits by opposition parties. Expect the same games with this project. Visit FPL Energy at http://www.fplenergy.com/ , LIPA at http://www.lipower.org/ .

By the end of 2004 France had only 405 megawatts of wind energy capacity. With one order placed with GE Energy that figure will rise to 462 megawatts. Small compared with some with its neighboring countries, but then, France has all that nuclear power.

GE Wind will supply 38, 1.5-megawatt turbines to be spread out in six projects in the Massif Central Region of Southern France. Those projects are majority-owned by Boralex Massif Central, the French branch of Montreal-based Boralex. Perfect Wind Inc. has a small stake in the projects. The new capacity will triple Boralex’s wind generating presence in the country.

GE, along with the Cegelec Energy Division, will install the turbines and provide maintenance for five years. Visit GE Energy, wind division, at http://www.gewind.com/ .