The Nation’s First Offshore Wind Farm, Cape Cod

(A computer-generated image of what Cape Wind, the nation’s first offshore wind farm, would look like from the shore of Cotuit, Mass., on Cape Cod.)

“After a nine-year battle, Cape Wind has gotten the green light to install wind turbines off the coast of Cape Cod in Nantucket Sound” (NPR). A few days ago, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the approval of the first offshore wind farm in the United States; and even after its approval, the controversy of the wind farm’s construction still continues.

The Cape Wind project plans to construct a 24 square mile wind farm 5 miles from the coast of Cape Cod. According to the New York Times, that’s roughly the size of Manhattan. The farm will include 130 turbines, each 440 feet tall and about 3.5 megawatts (Scientific American). The roughly 450 megawatt project is said to produce, “more than enough electricity to meet all of Cape Cod's more than 200,000 residents' power needs when the wind blows strong” (New York Times). The project would cost more than $1 billion, not including the $40 million since proposing the wind farm in 2001.

Not surprisingly, the latest project approval has stirred much controversy for multiple reasons. Jim Gordon, CEO of Cape Wind, supports his project by saying; “we're celebrating for so many citizens in Massachusetts that really want to move our region to a more sustainable energy future. We're happy because the United States now is going to take a new direction in, you know, addressing climate change, energy independence, creating new green energy jobs, and it's just an exciting time. It was a long effort but well worth it” (NPR). But, to Mr. Gordon dismay, Cape Wind still needs to wait for several permits, and perhaps a couple lawsuits, before the project goes though.

The conflicting environmental views ultimately want the same thing, a sustainable future that preserves natural environments, but unfortunately Cape Wind and other environmental organizations seem to clash. Personally, The Cape Wind project should take priority because of the potential benefits. Perhaps Mr. Gordon says it best, “The greatest threat to birds are not wind turbines. The greatest threat to birds are climate change, oil spills like we're seeing - like we're watching on TV. Those are the - have the greatest impact on birds” (NPR). In terms of long-term environmental benefits, the wind farm is a step in the right direction. It’s a sign that the United States is actively pursuing renewable energies and will open many doors for other states on the east coast that want to establish offshore wind farms.