Wind Power News: Rhode Island
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Wind consultant: BOEM should mandate more fisheries liaisons
Paul Forsberg watched as the Block Island Wind Farm pilot project with its five turbines was assembled in 2016 off Rhode Island. He saw a crowd on an island beach, gazing at the new wind generators and chattering with enthusiasm. “I don’t know if these things are going to work,” Forsberg said then. “But they’re coming.” Four years later, in 2020, Forsberg, who grew up in a well-known Montauk, N.Y, fishing family, started Offshore Wind Farm Support LLC, a consulting . . . Complete story »
Watchdogs question Mayflower Wind’s Sakonnet River plan
Another wind farm turbine project has local fishermen, officials and others upset even in the early stages, especially because it will go through Rhode Island waters to power homes in Massachusetts. On Aug. 16, Mayflower Wind, which holds one of seven leases for proposed wind farms in federal waters near Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, held a virtual community meeting with residents in Portsmouth. Mayflower, which may foist 149 turbines running at full capacity someday, said it could generate enough power . . . Complete story »
Rhode Island towns want more influence over Mayflower Wind export cable
Two Rhode Island towns – Little Compton and Middletown – seek a full seat at the table as the Energy Facility Siting Board considers an application from Mayflower Wind to bury a power cable beneath the Sakonnet River. The board Thursday morning met at R.I. Public Utilities Commission headquarters in Warwick. Members heard oral arguments for and against granting the two coastal towns “intervenor status.” Intervenor status would give the municipalities power to summon witnesses and gain greater access to information about . . . Complete story »
Portsmouth: Mayflower Wind reps grilled about cable route
PORTSMOUTH – During an informational meeting before the Town Council Tuesday night, Mayflower Wind representatives were peppered with questions about the route of a proposed cable that would bring converted energy from offshore wind farms through Portsmouth to Somerset. Local officials and residents are concerned about Mayflower’s proposal to run underground cables through land in Portsmouth, which could potentially cause traffic issues and impact wetlands and wildlife. Mayflower, meanwhile, insists it cannot continue the cables underwater and north past the Sakonnet . . . Complete story »
Residents push for benefits as Mayflower Wind continues to seek Portsmouth access
PORTSMOUTH – Mayflower Wind officials are continuing the push to run transmission cables across Portsmouth, and now residents are suggesting the town is in a position to benefit from the situation. Mayflower Wind on Tuesday held a public engagement session with municipal stakeholders as its preliminary hearing with the state Energy Facility Siting Board approaches, sending transmission development manager Lawrence Mott and general counsel Daniel Hubbard to the Portsmouth Town Council meeting to deliver a presentation and hear questions and comments . . . Complete story »
Reserve margin may need to rise to 300% by 2040 as more renewables added to grid: ISO New England
“This scenario would require such a large amount of wind and solar that it may present significant challenges [to] the transmission system and require an outsized amount of land or offshore areas to be sited and developed for the necessary wind and solar farms,” the report warned. Complete story »
Mayflower Wind offshore electric cables to run through Portsmouth
PORTSMOUTH – Holding one of the seven leases for proposed wind farms in 1,400 square miles of federal waters near the coast of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, Mayflower Wind officials say its lease, with 149 massive turbines running at full capacity, could generate enough electricity to power a million homes in the state of Massachusetts. To get the power onshore, however, they want to go directly through Portsmouth. Rhode Island’s Energy Facility Siting Board notified the Portsmouth Town Council on June . . . Complete story »
McKee allows solar developers’ tax break to become law despite opposition by cities, towns
A [Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns] spokesman told legislators the solar developers' bill would "create preferential tax treatment for ALL renewable energy projects and tax them differently from any other revenue-generating commercial operation,'' pushing those lost revenues onto other taxpayers. --- [Green Development] was founded by Mark DePasquale, who along with other political contributors who list Green Development as their employer have given more than $92,000 to Rhode Island office-holders and candidates since 2015. That includes $4,300 to McKee. Complete story »
Electricity grid operator expecting more demand and renewables in New England
New England’s electricity grid is in for major changes, according to a yearly report from ISO New England, the organization that manages the region’s grid. The report says decarbonization will become the way of life in New England, with heating and transportation becoming electrified through technology like heat pumps and electric vehicles. That will increase regional demand for electricity. At the same time, the grid, which now predominantly runs on natural gas, will shift towards renewable energy. All New England . . . Complete story »
Governor signs bill to procure another 1,000 megawatts of offshore wind for RI
NORTH KINGSTOWN – Fifteen years ago, when then-Governor Donald Carcieri and others in state government first raised the prospect of harnessing the winds off Rhode Island’s coast to generate clean energy, they talked of the jobs and economic development that offshore wind would bring to the state. On Wednesday, as Gov. Dan McKee signed legislation for the procurement of yet another batch of power from ocean wind farms, evidence of the industry could be found around him in the Quonset . . . Complete story »
