Letter: Wind power's worth the investment
A joint plan for a wind farm on Long Island's South Shore could cost as much as $4.67 billion, a study says. (Feb. 3, 2009) Credit: Los Angeles Times/Ricardo DeAratanha, 2009
Regarding "A wind farm not worth its billions" [Editorial, Sept. 21], the state's application for offshore wind energy leases is an encouraging sign that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is serious about bringing renewable energy and jobs to our region.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, wind farms off the Atlantic and Great Lakes coasts of New York could power 44 million homes.
The 700-megawatt Long Island-New York City collaborative project proposed for 13 to 17 miles offshore could provide electricity for 210,000 households. Two newer proposals, to be built about 30 miles offshore, could deliver 1,200 megawatts to the Island.
Offshore wind projects have high capital but no fuel cost and provide insurance against volatile fossil fuel prices. The collaborative's economic report likely overestimated the cost of wind power since it used information that is now outdated. Driven by huge investments in Europe, projects proposed recently by developers in New York and elsewhere suggest that larger projects using larger turbines and innovative transmission strategies could provide power to the Long Island Power Authority for far less than the report suggests.
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) can also help make offshore wind development less costly by sponsoring the Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act, a bipartisan bill that would extend investment tax credits for offshore projects.
Harvesting the tremendous wind resource off our coasts is one of the best options to make us less dependent on fossil fuels, while meeting our state's goal of getting 30 percent of our electricity from renewable energy by 2015.
Gordian Raacke, East Hampton
Editor's note: The writer is the executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island, an advocacy organization.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 25: Wrestling and hockey state championships On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay recap all the state wrestling action from Albany this past weekend, plus Jared Valluzzi has the ice hockey championship results from Binghamton.
