Off Shore Wind Farm Project- Too Much Too Soon? What is the Truth?

There is a huge future for wind power technology. However, many on the east end believe the technology just isn’t there yet to continue to move forward with the huge ocean-based wind turbine farms. Even now, with the project beyond the planning stage.

Some opponents feel a rush for quick profits by opportunistic hedge fund folks was too effective against a truly under informed Federal and New York State political system and this is now creating a perfect storm of results nobody wants. South Fork Wind is the first of five offshore wind farm projects slated in New York. The Long Island Power Authority approved the $2 billion contract in January 2017. It is expected to begin producing power late in 2023.

Montauk Fisherman and Best Selling Author (A Speck in the Sea) Anthony Sosinski does not believe that date of late 2023 is feasible. He said that parts are now backed up perhaps for years due to Covid in China. He believes the fuel estimates in the cost are from pre-fuel massive increases and are now way off. “The industry has not been telling the whole truth,” Mr. Sosinski claimed in a phone interview.

Fishing interest folks who obviously know and understand the ways of the ocean are concerned about everything from the actual process of laying down underwater cables and other structures to the harm of the fishing eco-system.

The project, called South Fork Wind, will be located a little over 35 miles east of Montauk Point. They claim 12 turbines will generate about 130 megawatts of power. Gov. Kathy Hochul reportedly said, “This one project will generate enough renewable energy to power 70,000 homes every single year and eliminate up to 6 million tons of carbon emissions over the next 25 years.”

Mr. Sosinski said, “If we look at Europe, that is still depending on oil and that has more wind turbines than anywhere else, we realize the scale of this project with well over 5000 offshore wind turbines scheduled. When is somebody going to tell us the truth?” South Fork Wind is the first of five offshore wind farm projects slated in New York.

The company counters with their website stating, “South Fork Wind brings unparalleled experience to Long Island. The 132 megawatt (MW) offshore wind farm will address East Hampton’s energy needs, producing enough clean energy to power 70,000 homes. When complete, the 12 turbines will be out of sight from East Hampton beaches. Construction is expected to start in January of 2022.”

Mr. Sosinski said they have started with vessels out in the ocean charting ideas on how to lay the many miles of many cables through the ocean floor. He explained, “Will they have to remove rocks to make a concrete highway of cable? Will they attempt to bury it under the ocean floor? At the end what will be the total cost for this form of green energy to us?”

The truth is nobody really knows, all costs for equipment, and materials like copper wire are sky-rocketing. Hopefully this project will not be like the Shoreham Nuclear power plant fiasco that in pursuit of cheaper non-fossil-fuel energy ended up costing Long Islanders over $6 billion in 1990s dollars.

According to a US Government website, “As of January 2022, the U.S. Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) contains more than 70,800 turbines. These turbines have all been constructed since 1980 in approximately 1,500 wind power projects spanning at least 44 states (plus Puerto Rico and Guam).”

The website also pointed out this negative fact. “A new USGS-led study suggests that the relative amount of energy produced by turbines in a given location, rather than simply their size, determines the rate of wildlife deaths.” The study was published in the Journal of Applied Ecology on March 31.

This may have been a response to the admission in Wyoming and New Mexico of the multiple bald eagles and the report from the American Bird Conservancy that, “3 Billion (with a B) birds have been killed by windmills since 2019.” The DOJ (Department of Justice) is now agreement with these facts in a lawsuit on this issue.

Some say this form of energy isn’t green energy it’s “red blood,” energy. Killing birds in these sorts of numbers is not a good thing. The windmill operator, ESI Energy Inc. was ordered to actually pay $8 million in fines and restitution for “acknowledging” killing 150 bald eagles. Now the company must follow a whopping $27M Eagle Management Plan for measures to minimize eagle deaths, along with $29,623 for every additional golden or bald eagle they kill or injure.

The bottom line is the truth about the real cost in money and wildlife of the already underway South Fork Wind project is not known. You can predict the price of fuel for the large diesel vessels to build the project has at least tripled since the proposal to local officials. No doubt, raw material prices have also increased substantially. To be continued…