美國通過第一個離岸風力電廠興建案

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today approved Cape Wind, America's first offshore wind farm on 25-square-miles of federal submerged lands in Nantucket Sound off the Massachusetts coast. But the developer of the $1 billion wind farm must reduce the number of turbines to ease the visual impact and reconfigure the turbine array to move it farther from Nantucket Island.

"The need to preserve the environmental resources and rich cultural heritage of Nantucket Sound must be weighed in the balance with the importance of developing new renewable energy sources and strengthening our nation's energy security while battling climate change and creating jobs," Salazar said. "After almost a decade of exhaustive study and analyses, I believe that this undertaking can be developed responsibly and with consideration to the historic and cultural resources in the project area."

"With this decision we are beginning a new direction in our nation's energy future, ushering in America's first offshore wind energy facility and opening a new chapter in the history of this region," Salazar said.

Reflecting on the nine-year long permitting path for Cape Wind, he said, "Going first is never easy and Cape Wind is proud of the role we played in raising awareness for what will become a major component of our energy future and in helping the United States develop a regulatory framework for this new exciting industry."

Earlier this month, Cape Wind signed an agreement to buy 130 wind turbines for the project from Siemens Energy Inc., instead of the 170 turbines in the original project design. Siemens announced that it would open its U.S. offshore wind office in Boston.

The wind farm site on Horseshoe Shoals lies outside shipping channels, ferry routes and flight paths but is adjacent to power-consuming coastal communities.

The Cape Wind project is expected to generate a maximum electric output of 468 megawatts with an average anticipated output of 182 megawatts. At average expected production, Cape Wind could produce enough energy to power more than 200,000 homes in Massachusetts. The project includes a 66.5-mile buried submarine transmission cable system, an electric service platform and two 115-kilovolt lines connecting to the mainland power grid.

The project will create several hundred construction jobs and be one of the largest greenhouse gas reduction initiatives in the nation, cutting carbon dioxide emissions from conventional power plants by 700,000 tons annually said Salazar, the equivalent of removing 175,000 cars from the road for a year.

Because of tribal and community concerns, Interior has required Cape Wind to change the design and configuration of the wind farm and to conduct more seabed surveys to ensure that any submerged archaeological resources are protected before disturbing the seafloor.

Congressman Bill Delahunt, a Massachusetts Democrat, today also issued a statement in opposition to the wind farm, saying, "Cape Wind is the first offshore wind farm to be built in the wrong place, in the wrong way, stimulating the wrong economies."

Offshore wind energy has great potential, but we have missed an opportunity here to do it right. "This will be the most expensive and most heavily subsidized offshore wind farm in the country at over $2.5 billion, with power costs to the region that will be at least double," he said.

Bird conservationists are not happy with the decision. Dr. Michael Fry, director of Conservation Advocacy for American Bird Conservancy, said, "The science collected for the project on bird collision threats is inadequate, and the site will reduce prime offshore sea-duck foraging habitat," said Dr. Fry. "Further, there are data to suggest that loons will likely abandon the area for years to come, and there may be significant impacts to endangered roseate terns, which breed in nearby Buzzard's Bay and feed in Nantucket Sound."

But Citizens groups Clean Power Now and Civil Society Institute applauded the Cape Wind approval, saying it is "a real demonstration of what can happen when concerned citizens are mobilized through effective grassroots organization."

A March 2009 survey commissioned by the Civil Society Institute found that 86 percent of Bay State residents, and 74 percent of Cape and islands residents, support Cape Wind.

Pam Solo, president, Civil Society Institute, said, "Cape Wind will bring jobs and manufacturing, as well as genuinely clean energy. A new offshore wind industry in America is launched today with this decision, which is a huge boost for the U.S. on the regional and national levels. This is an enormous accomplishment and is as much a victory for citizen participation as it is for clean energy."

The regional energy utility National Grid is in negotiations for a power purchase agreement with Cape Wind.

National Grid President Tom King called today's decision "a bold step by the Obama administration," saying, "Secretary Salazar's decision marks an historic step forward for energy policy in the United States, our region and the state of Massachusetts. State and federal renewable goals can only be met with an open-minded attitude to energy alternatives."

To those who object to the visual impact of 130 wind turbines, Salazar pointed out today that a number of tall structures, including broadcast towers, cellular base station towers, local public safety communications towers and towers for industrial and business uses are located around the area.

Three submarine transmission cable systems already traverse the seabed to connect mainland energy sources to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island. "Visual and physical impacts associated with Nantucket Sound and its associated shorelines abound," said Salazar, "it is not an untouched landscape."