Currents turning toward offshore wind farms on Great Lakes

Despite the challenges associated with offshore wind energy, more companies and states are building a political platform for Great Lakes wind farms.

On Earth Day, the state-owned New York Power Authority announced an initiative to build turbines on the waters of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

At the same time, a Canadian firm Trillium Power has plans for a project in a northern section of Lake Ontario. Trillium says their project could create enough power for 300,000 homes and would create 2,500 new jobs.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan are also looking at offshore wind towers.

Many politicians from each of these states are already on board. New York Gov. David Paterson said his state needs to look at all options in order to meet the goal of 45 percent renewables by 2015.

“We have an opportunity to ensure that New York is the national leader in the growth of the clean energy economy, which will create thousands of jobs across the state,” he said.

But as Tainted Green has already reported, the expense of offshore wind farms may far exceed the benefits.

A closer look at these state’s plans reveals they are still researching the viability of Great Lakes wind farm projects. Although the New York Power Authority’s plan is already making headlines, the company is still gathering environmental, technical and financial data. Check out the press release for more information.

At the same time, the price of renewables like wind energy will come down as the technology improves and it becomes easier to plug into established grids. It will still be awhile before the price of coal rises enough to make offshore wind power a cost-effective alternative.

But is this research worth doing? Definitely. The day will come when offshore wind farms will be the right way to go. Trying to push that day closer to the present should be a high priority, especially along the shores of the Great Lakes.