NORFOLK
After two years of study, a group of scientists and energy experts has concluded that building a wind farm off Virginia Beach is feasible, would cost about $1 billion and could spur more than 1,000 "green" jobs over three years.
The most viable project, the group said, would consist of 196 turbines, each 300 feet tall, converting heavy offshore winds into electricity in waters roughly east of Back Bay.
The envisioned farm, which private energy interests would construct, would not interfere with tourism, fishing or military training - the Navy even could become a partner, the study said.
One problem: Money for the next phase - about $1 million to develop a pilot project of, say, three wind turbines - is not included in the proposed state budget, a victim of Virginia's economic woes.
"Talk about bad timing," said Neil Rondorf, a vice president of Science Applications International Corp., a local consulting firm working on the offshore-wind study. "We're ready to go from theory to practice, and this happens."
The study is one of five alternative-energy initiatives being pursued by the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, based at Old Dominion University. Its chairman is Patrick Hatcher, an ODU professor, who also is leading another promising project - turning algae into biodiesel fuel.
Created by the General Assembly in 2006, the consortium is a collection of scientists from multiple public universities, including ODU, Norfolk State University, Virginia Tech and James Madison University. Its intent: generate green-power ideas, which the private sector could then build out to market size.
The consortium has received about $3 million in state funds the past two budget cycles.
This year, the state budget recommended by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a supporter of the consortium, contains no money for its continued efforts. About $1.6 million appropriated last year is expected to run out in June.
"Absolutely I'm worried," said state Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, who championed the research center's creation. "Just look at what they've done with the little we've given them."
Wagner still is working on several alternative funding options, he said Tuesday. One idea, he said, is convincing state officials to redirect some money from Virginia's settlement of tobacco-related lawsuits. A commission set up to distribute millions of those dollars agreed in August to target renewable-energy projects, especially in Southside and Southwest Virginia.
Wagner also hopes to win federal green-power grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, but said he needs state matching money to have a shot at doing so.
Then there is President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package, part of which seeks to finance alternative-
energy projects and research.
Tim Wilkins, a private consultant with Paliria Energy Inc. of Chesapeake, who is working on the offshore-wind project, was in Washington on Tuesday and today, hoping for a piece of the stimulus money.
He expects to meet with Virginia's congressional delegation, including U.S. Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner, so they might seek aid for the project.
They will not be alone. The American Wind Energy Association, a trade group, announced this week that it is hoping for stimulus money to pursue dozens of wind-power projects across the country.
The group is arguing that its counterpart in Europe is asking for $6.4 billion to jump-start wind energy as part of a proposed European Union public-spending package.
There is no offshore wind farm operating in the United States today, but interest is booming. Ocean projects are planned off New Jersey, Massachusetts and Delaware.
Scott Harper, (757) 446-2340, scott.harper@pilotonline.com
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Oceana
If the jets go south wouldn't Oceana be the perfect spot for a wind farm? Already have the clearance for jets, no homes to take, replacing jobs that would deplete the enonomy in VB with military leaving. Nah, never happen!
Wind Farm
I am very excited at the prospect of wind farms in the area to help support and provide power. My question about them is this - Why is it necessary to build them so far off shore? We have plenty of open spaces in our areas, especially in Va. Beach now that no building can take place in the so call crash zones around Oceana air base, and there is almost always a good stiff breeze blowing. I dont see any problem with placing wind farms in these areas and utilizing the land for something good instead of letting it sit empty with the taxpayers fitting the bill for the empty space. The towers dont need to be 300' tall to do their jobs. I have been to the wind farms in Hawaii and the towers there are not 300' tall. The jets fly high enough that there should be no chance of a collision with the wind towers, especially if planned and placed correctly. Just some thoughts for consideration.Thank you.
If it was actually your money you wouldn't do it!
It is a sad state of affairs when emotional people with liberal arts degrees and no math skills start making business and technology decisions. These studies that they are always doing are a big fat joke too. They start with the conclusion and then go looking for facts and information that bolsters that conclusion dismissing anything that would show that the proposal is plan idiotic. If this stuff is economically viable some private individuals will round up the cash to do it. Only to have to endure the howls of the jealous whining that they are making too much profit. I am sick and tired of reading about this government agency or that taxpayer funded university has come up with a revolutionary new way to spend money foolishly. If there is enough money on wall street to fund a string of coffee shops that spans the globe there is also plenty enough to fund any kind of energy that makes any kind of fiscal sense. Researching something to exhaustion isn't going to make a stupid idea make sense. The only thing that is more stupid is supporting these pinheads in their emotional idiotic schemes.
VCERC's offshore wind presentation
Researchers with the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium will be making their offshore wind presentation at a Town Hall meeting hosted by the Sierra Club, Environment Virginia and the National Resources Defense Council on Thurs., Feb. 19th, 6:30pm at Virginia Wesleyan College, Blocher Auditorium. The meeting is free and open to the public.
Because
You wouldn’t drill for oil without doing a geological study would you? Then you would drill a test well right? So, how is this process any different from drilling for oil?
That assumes there's something to learn, but these things are old and established technology. At 25 gigawatts, the US is #1 in the world for the amount of wind generators operating. It's also the fastest energy growth market.
At this point, it's not alternative anything. It's an established commercial market. They need to come up with a business proposal and try to get the power companies and other potential investors interested in financing it.
"how is this process any different from drilling for oil?"
The oil companies pay for their own drilling rigs, and recover those costs by selling me a product I willingly buy at a price I agree to pay.
The wind farm companies want to send tax collectors to take money from me by force for their costs, and then want to compel me to buy their product at a price 3 to 4 times higher than I can get it from someone else, and cannot guarantee their product will be available when I really need it.
Other than that, I guess there's not that much difference.
Flight is impossible
Over 100 years ago everyone said we could not fly, but today we are.
The study was done to prove that the wind at the location was consistent and sufficient to justify building the wind mills.
You wouldn’t drill for oil without doing a geological study would you? Then you would drill a test well right? So, how is this process any different from drilling for oil?
Oh, I know, wind will always be there when oil wells run dry.
hahaha
Chris33 - "We should drive electric cars and natural gas trucks."
Yeah, I wish they ran on hopes and dreams too.
How do you propose we charge these electric cars, by plugging them into a household socket? Well that means they are just getting power from the local power plant (i.e. coal, nuclear). Wind will not be able to power everything for our daily lives, and as the article states, what happens if the winds die down for say a week or so? What we should be doing is investing in nuclear power, natural gas, and oil shale.
WOW
Seems like alot of money for only 1,000 jobs.
not fair, doc
Not fair to say $1M/job - the money would also produce something tangible and of value (the towers). I'm not attempting to justify the expense but your argument is flawed.
You're kidding, right?
A BILLION dollars to create 1000 "green" jobs. That's a million dollars a job. About 20 times the cost to create a private sector job.
And in return we get electricity that only costs three to four times the cost of nuclear power.
The reason this needs a subsidy is because no one in their right mind would finance it other than under duress. But of course, the government will be happy to send tax collectors to provide the duress.
Wind Energy Saves Everyone money
First off, the article didn't mention Texas, the nations leading wind generating state, And unlike Virgina - Texas controls its submerged lands up to 10 miles out in the Gulf. So, any federal stimulus money for offshore wind should be directed at to these areas with higher capacity values. The farther you go out to sea the stronger the wind blows during periods of peak consumption.
Now don't get me wrong, if VA builds these offshore turbines, it will save Billions of $, and tax payers will recoup the investment very quickly. In Texas, they are spending about $4.9B on transmission infrastructure. As a result, $5.08B will be saved annually ($1.7B in fuel costs and $3.4B in consumer savings.)
That is a stimulus any states could use. Direct spending by the state, and tax payers savings.
Why do all these "studies"
With all of those other countries that are already using wind power and all the places in the US that have already done "studies" don`t you think that enough money has been wasted on "studies" and " pilot projects?? Are there not experts already existing that have built these in much worse areas around the world than VA Bch? Just do it! Give someone the permits and stop wasting tax pay money!
The Danes?
Denmark is slightly larger than Maryland and has fewer people! The also have the ,em>highest household electricity prices in the world! Thanks, in part, to their wind power. Is that what we are striving for? Also, how can it be that $1 million is enough to build 3 turbines for a pilot project but, it takes a billion to build 196 of them? 196 / 3 = 65 and 65 x $1M = $65M? Where is the other $935 MILLION going? VA Power's new 585 megawatt, clean coal burning power plan will, supposedly, cost $1.8 Billion but, get this, it can make full power all the time! Not just 15% of the time, when the wind is blowing hard enough.
DOESN'T QUALIFY
It's green and creates jobs. Therefore it doesn't qualify for the current Democratic stimulus plan.
Not worth any special funding
We already know turbines work. They're used all over the US, all over the world, and are not experimental systems. We also know they're purely supplemental generators and cannot be used for more than maybe 10% of the power. Anything more puts at an unacceptable risk level of massive blackouts every time the wind dies down. The also have nothing to do with oil imports since electricity is primarily generated by domestic coal and nuclear power.
There's a new kid in town!
Let the pigs all start lining out at the government money trough. BTW Holland is the size of new jersey and only has 5 refrigerators a couple of water pumps and 3 stop lights so, of coarse they can generate 1/5 of their electricity with a pinwheel!
America's greatest security threat
America's greatest security threat is our dependence on foreign oil. The Danes already get 20% of their energy from the wind. Why? Because their leaders were far sighted enough to move in this direction years ago. We should as well. We should drive electric cars and natural gas trucks. Our energy should be made in America.