April 26, 2005
LIPA/FPL Energy submit application for offshore wind project to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Wind project will produce 140 mw of clean, renewable, zero-emission energy for LI
• Extensive regulatory, environmental review to begin
Long Island’s South Shore – The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and FPL Energy announced that they will jointly file an application today with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) seeking authorization to install an offshore wind energy park off the South Shore of Long Island.
Filing the application with the USACE initiates an extensive Federal and State regulatory and environmental review process that will include ample opportunity for public review and comment.
“We’ve reached an important milestone in our effort to bring a major renewable energy resource to Long Island so we can begin to break the stranglehold that OPEC has on our economy and environment,” said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. “Over a 20-year period, the offshore wind park could prevent the burning of over 13.5 million barrels of fuel oil, which will eliminate millions of tons of combustion emissions from going into our region’s environment. At a cost of $40 per barrel, that avoids some $540 million in fuel oil costs over 20 years.
“Today we draw a symbolic line in the sand and say we’re tired of being held hostage to OPEC and other foreign oil producers, and we’re going to do something positive to develop an alternative energy resource that will heal, not hurt the environment,” Mr. Kessel said.
“FPL Energy and LIPA are advancing an ambitious project that will bring the significant benefits of clean, renewable wind energy to Long Island,” said Charles Muoio, Vice President of FPL Energy. “We look forward to working with LIPA and the people of Long Island to make this project a reality.”
According to information contained in the permit application, the wind park is expected to result in an annual emission savings of 235,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), 489 tons of sulfur dioxide (Sox), and 211 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx). To minimize the potential impacts of bringing the wind generated power to the Island via a 138kV marine cable, directional drilling will be used to go under the barrier island that separates the ocean from the Great South Bay. Then the cable will use the path of an existing navigation channel to reach landfall in East Massapequa, and every attempt will be made to install the cable in conjunction with future maintenance dredging that is planned for the channel.
Applauding the announcement were some of the members of the Long Island Offshore Wind Initiative, a coalition of about 30 environmental, consumer and faith-based organizations across Long Island that have supported the effort to develop a project that would produce a significant amount of wind-generated power for Long Island.
Philippe Cousteau, President EarthEcho International, a Washington D.C.-based marine science and environmental preservation group, also offered support for the offshore wind park.
“As we move into the 21st Century our continued dependence on carbon-based energy is totally unacceptable,” said Mr. Cousteau, grandson of the internationally known marine science expert Jacques Cousteau. “We owe it to ourselves and especially our children to vigorously develop renewable energy sources such as offshore wind in the interest of national security, continued economic viability, public health and the environment.”
“Local, state and national environmental organizations are enthusiastic about the proposed Long Island Offshore Wind Park because it sets the stage for a new era of clean, sustainable energy projects that protect our health, environment and quality of life,” said Gordian Raacke, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Long Island (RELI). “For Long Islanders, this wind project is a smart investment in harvesting a local energy supply that will never be subject to fossil fuel costs, the whims of OPEC, or unstable geo-political forces.”
“Wind power is a visionary, long-term solution that is a good investment for our local economy, public health protection and our environment,” stated Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Today we move a giant step closer to meeting the Island’s growing energy needs with clean, completely safe, domestic energy from the wind. In years to come, Long Islanders will be proud of this milestone project.”
“Today’s announcement is exciting because it presents an opportunity to reduce air pollution from smokestacks and promote energy independence from foreign sources of fuel, while also providing a hedge against future increases in oil prices,” said Neal Lewis, Executive Director, Long Island Neighborhood Network. “LIPA and Governor Pataki should be commended for demonstrating leadership and all Long Islanders should be proud that Long Island is seeking to become the first American community to embrace offshore wind energy, a clean, renewable source of power.”
“We firmly believe that we must harness offshore wind energy in our efforts to combat climate change, reduce air pollution and increase energy security,” said Ashok Gupta, Senior Energy Economist for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Given the very high fuel prices we are seeing, investing in wind energy is an excellent strategy to help keep energy prices down on Long Island.”
“Wind energy can provide pollution-free power for decades to come, avoiding the burning of dirty coal and oil, and helping prevent global warming,” said Rob Moore, Executive Director of Environmental Advocates of New York. “Offshore turbines are an exciting development in New York State and we are confident that project like this will bring many benefits to Long Island.”
“Using wind technology is a cost-effective way to generate electricity without causing poor air quality, global warming and other serious problems like fossil fuels do,” said Jason K. Babbie, Environmental Policy Analyst for the New York Public Interest Research Group. “In addition to important outreach that’s already taken place, this filing gives Long Islanders an exciting opportunity to express their support for renewable energy sources.”
“Greenpeace has been looking for solutions that improve the environment and protect the world’s oceans for over 30 years and we now see offshore wind as a very important solution,” stated Chris Miller of Greenpeace. “We applaud LIPA for taking a leadership role in developing this important resource on the East Coast.”
“Depending upon the wind for energy is not a new concept. Europeans came to America on sailing ships and built wind mills to grind grain, saw wood and pump water,” stated Marie Pendzich, Energy Chair for Sierra Club, LI Chapter. “We hope that this project will eliminate our unwarranted caution and become the breaking ground for many projects to come. We can look at these sleek, stately turbines or we can look at an oil rig. We are proud that Long Island is taking the lead.”
The proposed offshore wind project is comprised of 40 3.6 megawatt (MW) wind turbines that will be capable of producing 140 MWs of electricity, which is enough to serve approximately 44,000 average-sized Long Island homes. The turbines will be clustered in an eight square mile area approximately 4.1 miles due south of Cedar Beach. A 10-mile long transmission cable will bring the electricity from the wind turbines to an existing LIPA substation in West Amityville.
Pending the outcome of the regulatory review process, the LIPA/FPL Energy offshore wind project could be operating by 2008. Mr. Kessel said he would join environmental leaders in launching an “Energy Independence” campaign aimed at Long Island’s major political, business and civic leaders on Wednesday.
LIPA just released a report assembled by its energy risk management consultants which indicates that for at least the next 12 to 24 months market forces indicate that the price of a barrel of oil will remain at the $50 level and could go higher. The report also indicates that natural gas prices tend to trend along with the cost of crude oil.
“The worldwide strain on available fossil fuel supplies and ever-increasing prices makes this situation a ticking economic time bomb for Long Island,” said Mr. Kessel. “It means we have to conserve more and use alternative energy technologies that use renewable resources to produce energy. Otherwise, our regional economy will be held hostage to foreign oil supplies.”
LIPA also recently released a report on the achievements of its Clean Energy Initiative (CEI) over the last six years. Through its various conservation and energy efficiency programs, the CEI has produced total energy savings of nearly one (1) million megawatt hours of electricity, which is enough to power 105,000 average-sized Long Island homes. As a result, about 775,000 barrels of fuel oil and 3.4 million decatherms of natural gas were NOT burned to produce electricity. In turn, approximately 5,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, 1,900 tons of nitrogen oxides, and 1.3 million tons of carbon dioxide were NOT released into the air.
The CEI, created at the direction of Governor George Pataki, is a ten-year, $355 million program designed to foster the development and use of alternative energy resources such as solar, geothermal and wind, in addition to lowering electric demand on Long Island through conservation and energy efficiency.
About LIPA
LIPA, a non-profit electric utility, owns the retail electric system on Long Island and provides electric service to nearly 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA does not own any electric generation assets on Long Island and does not provide natural gas service. More information about LIPA is available on the Internet at www.lipower.org.
About FPL Energy
FPL Energy is a leading wholesale generator of electricity. It is the nation’s leader in wind energy, with 44 wind facilities in operation in 15 states. It is a subsidiary of FPL Group, one of the nation’s largest providers of electricity-related services with annual revenues of more than $10 billion. FPL Group’s principal subsidiary is Florida Power & Light Company, one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving more than 4.2 million customer accounts in Florida. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPLEnergy.com, www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPL.com.
About LIOWI
The Long Island Offshore Wind Initiative (LIOWI) is a unique partnership of over 30 local and national environmental, civic, health and faith-based groups working to bring the environmental, economic and public health benefits of offshore wind energy to our region. LIOWI member groups believe that with the necessary due diligence and rigorous regulatory, environmental and public review process, the proposed offshore wind park can serve as a national model in offshore wind energy production. More information about LIOWI is available on the Internet at www.lioffshorewindenergy.org.
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