Block Island Wind Farm
The new Block Island Wind Farm is breaking ground off of Block Island, Rhode Island RIGHT NOW and can be seen from both Moonstone and Green Hill beaches.
According to the American Wind Energy Association, the United States has a vast and untapped offshore wind resource at hand. This is an emerging industry that has the potential to provide both clean energy and new jobs. Consider these advantages of wind energy that are outlined on AWEA website:
- creates no air or water pollution or hazardous waste.
- does not deplete fresh water sources.
- requires no mining, transportation or refining of a feedstock or fuel.
- with no air emissions it mitigates climate change, which is the greatest threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems globally.
I loved this quote from the article, WONDERING ABOUT WIND in The Economist:
Tiny Rhode Island, nicknamed the Ocean State, is hoping the Block Island wind farm will turn it into a renewable energy behemoth. It may only be 48 miles long, but it has a 400-mile shoreline. And a lot of wind.
We’ll do our best to follow this story and share what we learn about the wind farm off Block Island. Perhaps we’ll all get used to seeing “steel in the water” and someday view these majestic moving sculptures for all the good they do for us and our planet.