Wind Farms in the Ocean? Maybe Not

Written By: John Dale Dunn, M.D., J.D. Published In: Heartland Perspectives > October 2008 Publisher: The Heartland Institute While we hear of the great potential of wind turbines at sea, the reality reminds us of the experience of every American rancher and farmer who was in business before 1940 and depended on windmills, which were high maintenance and unreliable at their best. The offshore wind farms of Europe are a mess and getting worse. The Bloomberg.com of June 10 reports that the Lisa A, a key rig for an offshore Robins Rigg Wind Farm in the Irish Sea, has been out of commission since September 16, 2007 due to loss of support mechanisms for the undersea legs, and that stopped the work of completion of the wind farm. Equipment shortages and rising costs are stalling the construction of many European offshore wind... [read full story]