Ken Silverstein EnergyBiz Insider Editor-in-Chief

The critical question is not whether the project would diminish the use of fossil fuels and subsequently be a cleaner substitute. Rather, the hullabaloo centers on whether the 130 turbines that would generate 420 megawatts during peak winds would create such an eyesore that it would distort the pristine environment enjoyed by the Cape's residents. The environmental community has divisions. But many there see the project as a prototype for spurring ever-increasing renewable energy development.

"The environmental standards set for the Cape Wind project will create an important precedent for the future of offshore wind facilities in the United States, so it is crucial for us to set the bar in the right place," says Katherine Kennedy, with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The air quality, public health and global warming benefits of the Cape Wind project are significant and beyond rational dispute. It is also critical to ensure that the project will protect marine wildlife and comply with all applicable laws."

Katherine Kennedy is at odds with Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a Republican, and Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Democrat. Her group is also taking aim at Robert Kennedy, Jr., who is no relation to Katherine and is from the famous Kennedy clan. The attacks are visceral, saying that the Kennedy family places more importance on their scenic views than on global warming and that the family never complained when multi-million dollar mansions were getting built along the waters of Cape Cod.

Late last year, Robert Kennedy, Jr. responded to the pot shots in an op-ed piece in the New York Times. In it, he said that the so-called Cape Wind project would destroy the marine resources as well as impede commercial and residential activities. Many business groups agree with the Democratic scion, adding that the waterway is inextricably linked to the local economy and quality of life there.

When the dust settles, Cape Wind is expected to win the necessary approvals. The U.S. Department of Interior is expected to Okay the project within a year. The state, however, must still allow transmission lines to be strung along the bottom of Nantucket's waters, where the wind mills would be located. Estimates are that construction could begin in two years.

Altogether, about 12 off-shore wind projects are under consideration in the United States. Atlantic City, N.J. dedicated the first such project while General Electric Co. said it will build an off-shore project near San Diego.

Leading the Way

The wind industry, which experienced 35 percent growth last year, has constructed a total of 9,200 megawatts in 30 states. Wind could supply as much as 6 percent of the nation's energy mix by 2020, proponents say. They see off-shore wind as one of the biggest growth areas, largely because there would be less residential opposition to development.

Texas wants to lead the way. It's already one of the nation's largest providers of wind power. And it also wants to set the pace to build off-shore projects. First up: a proposed 150 megawatt project about seven miles off of Galveston Island. Texas is uncommon because the wind farm would be built entirely in state-owned waters, unlike most proposed off-shore deals that are in federal waters. The nation of Ireland, meantime, has approved what would be the world's largest wind farm -- to be built six miles from the town of Arklow. If built, it would generate 10 percent of the country's electricity.

In this country, Cape Wind is ground zero. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which studied the Cape Wind project for three years, says that several hundred birds would be killed annually while fish and shellfish beds would be displaced. It also said that the national historic properties located near Horseshoe Shoal where the 24-square mile project would be based, would have their seascape changed. But, the report goes on to say that the economic and overall environmental benefits would outweigh the costs.

"The project would diversify the region's energy mix in terms of fuel supply and generation technology, with associated decreased reliance on imported fossil fuels," the Corps' study says. It adds that the $700 million wind farm would create nearly 400 jobs.

Clean air advocates say the Cape Wind farm, which would produce about half the electricity needed by Cape Cod residents on an average day, would combat global warming and ease pollution. Furthermore, Massachusetts has renewable portfolio standards that mandate wind and other green energy forms make up 1 percent of the state's power in 2003 and 4 percent by 2009 -- making off-shore wind projects one of the most feasible ways to achieve those goals.

Wind energy, generally, has its critics who say that the power source is unreliable and the logistical difficulty of getting it hooked to the grid is high. But this debate is less about the usual pros and cons and more about whether such a project ought to be placed in a body of water that thrives because of its tranquility.

Small Dots

Even Robert Kennedy, Jr. says that he could support off-shore wind projects if they do not pose environmental threats. He backs projects in Long Island, N.Y. and in New Jersey. But, he says that the particular area in which the Cape Wind Project would be based is a national treasure and should remain off limits. His brethren from the environmental community, however, point out that the windmills would be six miles off-shore and would appear as "small dots" from afar.

Clearly, energy demand is increasing while the pressures to improve air quality continue. The twin phenomenon works to the advantage of the wind power industry, which has been developing new technologies to improve performance. General Electric is developing an off-shore power system to produce 5-7 megawatts per turbine at half of today's costs. Owings Corning says it is also developing a state-of-the-art wind turbine too. German manufacturers REpower and Enercon are pursuing bigger and better turbines while Danish-owned Vestas is doing the same.

The beauty of wind energy is that it helps diversify the nation's generation mix while promoting the cause of the environment. That argument, though, is a tough sell in Cape Cod where the scenic beauty is a way of life.

For more information and analysis of wind power, please read the May/June 2005 issue of EnergyBiz magazine here.

For far more extensive news on the energy/power visit:  http://www.energycentral.com .

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