Friday, February 09, 2007
Plain Dealer
Plain Dealer
Wind turbines on Lake Erie could blow the rust off the region and mark it as a world leader in alternative-energy development, officials say.
A Cuyahoga County task force on Thursday proposed the Lake Erie Wind Energy Center, featuring up to 10 wind turbines on the lake and a research center on land spurring new businesses and jobs.
Cuyahoga County commissioners immediately embraced recommendations from the energy task force, a 23-member body appointed last summer. Commissioners have pledged to cover one-quarter of the estimated $800,000 needed to find a project manager, study the concept's feasibility and craft a strategy to deal with daunting financial, environmental and regulatory hurdles.
There are no wind turbines operating on fresh water anywhere in the world. The plan calls for up to 10 wind turbines on the lake as a demonstration project.
There are no wind turbines operating on fresh water anywhere in the world. The plan calls for up to 10 wind turbines on the lake as a demonstration project.
The 10 turbines would stand some 300 feet above the water and crank out up to 20 megawatts of power. That's enough to light up 6,000 homes. The turbines would spin about three miles offshore, possibly on land leased by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority.
Wind monitoring at Cleveland's water-intake crib, which lies about 3½ miles offshore, shows sustained winds of 16 mph.
Erecting turbines and hooking them to the electric-power grid is estimated at $40 million. The effort would need heavy public subsidy before the private sector jumped in, officials said.
At the same time, Cleveland will begin wind monitoring at several of its water-treatment plants and look at the feasibility of land-based turbines hooked into Cleveland Public Power, Mayor Frank Jackson said. More....
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This sounds like a great idea. The only problem I have is that - I have no confidence in any of the agencies involved in the planning and eventual building of the project.
From what I am able to see, the county and/or city does not have the ability to successfully embark on, and complete a project of this magnitude and importance to the region.King
I thought that ODNR and DOD had previously said no turbines IN the lake - only on the shores and only after impact studies for migratory birds....
ReplyDeleteBut we now have a new administration, so I'm not sure what their position is...
Yes, I heard that recently. But I think they said they would want studies first to see how it would impact the migratory birds.
ReplyDeleteIf the studies determine their will be an impact, I am confident that something could be worked out to make the turbine "migratory bird" friendly.
To be honest, I do not think this will bother the migratory birds at all. Being a die-hard duck hunter, I am always concerned about disturbing the flyways.
I do think the benefit of these turbines to the Cleveland area far outwieghs any minimal impact on the migratory birds.
King