Offshore wind farms Archives

Corners cut, data falsified at GE Vernova plant that manufactured failed turbine

November 18, 2024

Debris from a shattered turbine blade at the Vineyard Wind farm may be done washing ashore, but fallout from the incident is still impacting the company behind the project. Allegations of rushed manufacturing and falsified quality data by turbine manufacturer GE Vernova have led to layoffs, suspensions, and ongoing investigations.

Fiberglass shards and other remnants of the damaged blade first started washing ashore near the Massachusetts-based wind farm in late July 2024 and continued for more than a month after the initial incident. In response, GE Vernova, the company that manufactured the turbine, launched an internal investigation to determine the cause of the failure.

GE Vernova is now reporting that improper practices at its Quebec manufacturing facility, where the faulty blade was produced, may have contributed to the incident.

According to reports, managers at the plant allegedly pressured workers to speed up production, leading to errors. As a result, nine managers have been laid off and 11 unionized employees have been suspended due to the alleged negligence.

The investigation also uncovered allegations of falsified quality data at the Canadian facility. Senior executives are said to have instructed employees to associate quality metrics from well-constructed blades with substandard ones. GE Vernova has not confirmed or denied these claims.

Amid heightened scrutiny, the company announced plans to remove some already-installed turbine blades at the Vineyard Wind farm and strengthen others following an inspection of the project.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has also stated that its own probe into the Vineyard Wind remains ongoing, and there is currently no timeline for its completion.

California’s offshore wind plans spark debate over environmental impact

November 11, 2024

California’s offshore wind plans are seeing pushback from a local non-profit that warns moving ahead with constructing this renewable energy infrastructure will “harm or kill” local marine life. However, developers of these projects refer to the claims made by those environmental advocacy groups as “misinformation.”

The Golden State is aiming to generate 25 gigawatts of energy from offshore wind by 2045. That would be enough to power 25 million homes and provide around 13% of the state’s electricity needs.

However, these projects face resistance from the Responsible Energy Adaptation for California’s Transition Alliance (REACT), a nonprofit group arguing that the planned offshore wind projects could harm marine ecosystems.

The organization points to potential aquatic ecosystem disruptions as a result of noise pollution from the equipment used for underwater surveys, which they claim is expected to produce sounds up to 228 decibels, equivalent to the volume of a jet engine.

Offshore wind developers disputed these claims, arguing that while decibel level is high, the frequency and the depth at which these sounds are generated would likely minimize any negative impact on marine life. According to the developers, REACT selectively presented data to fuel opposition against offshore wind.

Meanwhile, commercial fishing groups in central California have also voiced their concerns. Two fishing associations recently filed lawsuits claiming that offshore wind projects would harm fish populations and disrupt commercial fishing. They cite past experiences with underwater surveys that reportedly reduced catch rates for certain fish species by up to 70%.

Most profitable US fishing port voices concerns over offshore wind projects

October 29, 2024

The New Bedford Port Authority, which oversees the nation’s most profitable commercial fishing hub, is voicing concerns over new offshore wind developments that could impact critical scalloping grounds. Generating over $400 million annually, around 80% of the region’s fishing industry revenue stems from its scallop harvests.

Over the next 16 years, the most impacted fisheries from these renewable energy projects have an estimated catch value of $2 billion at stake, with $1.5 billion of that total coming from scallops. Officials worry that expanding offshore wind could disrupt an industry that many coastal communities rely upon.

In response, the New Bedford Port Authority has sent a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the federal agency overseeing offshore wind leases. The letter expresses the group’s apprehensions over the 13,476,805-acre area off the U.S. East Coast that has been designated for offshore wind projects.

“It unnecessarily includes some of the most critically important scallop fishing areas on the East Coast,” Gordon Carr, New Bedford Port Authority executive director, wrote in a statement. “What is stunning to us is that all that data is and was available to BOEM prior to setting the boundaries.”

While the Port Authority says the group does “recognize and support the need for offshore wind development,” officials argue that BOEM’s decision to include critical scalloping grounds in the proposed lease area disregards the established industries dependent on these waters. They suggest that shifting the boundary 150 miles to the south could have prevented this overlap.

“We have become more and more concerned that development must only be accomplished in a responsible manner by protecting established industries that share our waters,” Carr wrote. “In particular, ‘responsible manner’ must include learning from mistakes made in failing to avoid and address the interaction and conflicts between offshore wind and commercial fishing in connection with previous BOEM actions. People’s livelihoods are based on these actions.”

Some local fishers have also reported changes they believe correlate with increased offshore wind activity, such as more frequent sightings of dead whales, declining scallop catches and empty shells. Meanwhile, the Port Authority says it expects BOEM will ultimately modify the leasing area to exclude these key scalloping grounds.

Maryland offshore wind project sued over economic and environmental concerns

October 29, 2024

A proposed offshore wind project off Maryland’s coast is encountering resistance from the nearby community of Ocean City. The city challenged the federal government’s approval of the development and filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The project aims to generate over 2 gigawatts of renewable energy, potentially powering more than 700,000 homes.

The planned wind farm, located approximately 10 miles off Maryland’s coast, will consist of 1,143 turbines, each exceeding 900 feet in height. Ocean City, several industry groups and Fenwick Island, Delaware, are moving forward with the litigation process against this development in response to concerns about the project’s impact on tourism, fishing and the environment.

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan claimed the city’s years-long collaboration with state officials to address these concerns has been met with inadequate responses. He added that the large-scale wind farm could significantly alter the community’s coastline and local economy.

Environmental concerns, particularly for marine wildlife, are also central to the opposition. Local residents worry about potential harm to whale populations from construction activities.

“We have a responsibility to protect our ecosystem, our economy, view shed and our future,” Meehan said in a statement. “For the past seven and half years we have been trying to work with the State of Maryland and the federal government to address our concerns with this project. All of our concerns were either ignored or considered insignificant. It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but the Town was left with no choice but to file suit against BOEM.”

Just days before news of the lawsuit broke, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established protective regulations to safeguard marine mammals during construction, including required monitoring, safe distancing, and noise reduction measures. These protections will be in effect for five years, with the potential for adjustments as more information about the project’s environmental impact becomes available.

US funds projects to protect marine life during offshore wind farm construction

October 25, 2024

The Departments of Energy and the Interior announced nearly $17 million in funding to support the offshore wind industry, including efforts to protect marine life. Despite the U.S. government having said there are “no known links between large whale deaths and ongoing offshore wind activities,” federal officials are investing in additional measures to enhance protections for marine animals during the construction of wind turbines.

A portion of the new funding will be used to develop technologies and strategies aimed at reducing underwater noise during the installation of offshore wind farms. Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said these efforts will help ensure “environmentally responsible development” of this infrastructure.

Marine experts highlighted the potential impacts of noise from wind farm construction. Pile driving, the process of hammering turbines into the seafloor, can produce sound levels exceeding 225 decibels underwater, which is comparable to the volume of noise that a person would hear from putting their head near a Boeing 747 engine at full power.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently acknowledged that the sounds from these activities could “adversely affect” nearby whale populations and marine life. However, NOAA officials have stated they do not anticipate that the construction will result in any whale fatalities or serious injuries. They assert that these activities will not jeopardize the continued existence of any whale species, including the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

In total, seven projects have been selected to receive federal funding to address the noise issue. The largest grant, nearly $4 million, will go to Purdue University for its efforts to mitigate the underwater sound generated during turbine installation.

Pheasant hatchery filled with solar panels part of clean energy’s recycling problem

October 16, 2024

Renewable energy infrastructure, which the majority of is relatively new, will inevitably face decommissioning as it reaches the end of its lifespan. This reality is becoming evident in an unusual setting: a former pheasant hatchery in Canada, now home to thousands of damaged solar panels awaiting recycling.

The facility, managed by Sunset Renewable Asset Management, holds nearly 10,000 broken solar panels. The company is working to finding innovative solutions for the disposal and recycling of green energy technology, particularly by identifying financially viable methods to extract and reuse valuable minerals found in the panels.

Experts project that by 2050, Canada alone could generate close to 5 million tons of waste from wind and solar infrastructure. According to a researcher from a University of Ottawa think tank, while renewable energy aims to combat climate change, it could create new environmental challenges without proper waste management strategies.

Companies like Sunset Renewable Asset Management are focusing on efficient recycling solutions for materials used in renewable infrastructure. The pheasant hatchery, with its large industrial building, serves as a solar panel “graveyard,” where efforts are underway to give the components a second life.

Although solar panels and wind turbines are up to 90% recyclable, the recycling process remains costly. For large-scale solar farms, recycling expenses can run into tens of millions of dollars, while dumping the materials in landfills would be nearly 90% cheaper. Similarly, decommissioning a single wind turbine can exceed half a million dollars in costs.

Both local and national governments are beginning to explore more comprehensive recycling systems for renewable energy technology. However, for now, the challenge of managing green energy waste is set to grow as the world continues its transition toward sustainable power sources.

World’s first semisubmersible turbines may help solve offshore wind concerns

October 9, 2024

As the U.S. offshore wind industry grapples with rising installation costs and environmental concerns, a renewable energy project in Portugal may provide a viable alternative. Located a little over 12 miles off the Portuguese coast, WindFloat Atlantic developed the world’s first semisubmersible wind farm in 2020, and the facility has been proving its potential to shake up the offshore wind sector.

The wind farm consists of three floating platforms, each equipped with a wind turbine, which can be raised or lowered based on changing water levels. These platforms are anchored to the seafloor, ensuring stability even in severe weather conditions.

One of the key advantages of the semisubmersible design is its cost-effectiveness. These turbines are reportedly 50% cheaper to build than traditional monopile foundation systems used in many offshore wind farms. Additionally, these types of turbines have shown they can be environmentally beneficial, with surveys indicating that floating wind farms contribute to undersea conservation efforts and the formation of coral reefs.

“We are proud to see that our project progresses each year toward having a more positive impact,” Jose Miguel Moreira Pinheiro, project director of WindFloat Atlantic, said in a statement. “We are deeply committed to ensuring that our project benefits not only the environment but also the community.”

The energy production from WindFloat Atlantic’s project has also exceeded expectations. Since it began operations, the wind farm has outperformed initial projections. It now generates enough electricity to power 25,000 homes annually while preventing the release of approximately 33,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year — the equivalent of removing nearly 8,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road.

Embattled Vineyard Wind project may face SCOTUS scrutiny over whale impact

October 1, 2024

An offshore wind farm that scattered debris into the Atlantic Ocean this summer is now at the center of a high-stakes legal battle that could be heading to the U.S. Supreme Court. A group of Nantucket residents with the organization ACK for Whales is challenging the federal government’s approval of the Vineyard Wind project, arguing it threatens the survival of the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

“We are optimistic that the Supreme Court will grant review of the important issue in this petition regarding an agency’s abrogating its obligations to the right whale under the Endangered Species Act,” Nancie Marzulla, ACK For Whales’ counsel, said.

The dispute dates back three years, with ACK for Whales asserting that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) ignored aspects of the Endangered Species Act. Specifically, the group claims the agency did not properly assess the potential impact of the wind farm on the endangered North Atlantic right whale population.

Vineyard Wind, the project developer, has countered that the project underwent a “rigorous and thorough” review process to ensure environmental compliance.

Under the Endangered Species Act, the NMFS is required to issue a biological opinion on how projects, such as offshore wind farms, might affect endangered species.

According to ACK for Whales, the agency’s analysis only considered the impact of a small number of turbines, despite plans for the agency to approve the installation of over 300 additional turbines in the future.

The NMFS itself has acknowledged that right whales face “a high risk of extinction” and “the loss of even one individual a year” could “reduce the likelihood of species recovery.”

ACK for Whales argues that this analysis was ignored when the federal government approved the Vineyard Wind project, leaving the species vulnerable to harm from the expanding turbine installations.

In addition to the environmental concerns, the group points to a blade failure at the wind farm this past summer, which caused fiberglass debris to spill into the Atlantic Ocean and wash up on surrounding beaches.

Val Oliver, the founding director of ACK For Whales, said “the disastrous blade catastrophe in July — not to mention the evidence of grave harm to an endangered species — makes clear the cost of the government’s decision to ignore its own laws.”

“The government tried to speed its pet political projects forward and gamed its ‘analysis’ so it could ignore the lethal threats to right whales,” Oliver added.

After a U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in April dismissed the group’s legal challenge, ACK for Whales is now petitioning the Supreme Court to hear the case. It remains uncertain whether the nation’s highest court will agree to take it up.

New Jersey offshore wind farm faces delay due to turbine supply issues

September 26, 2024

The planned Leading Light Wind offshore wind farm, off the coast of New Jersey, has hit a monthslong delay due to challenges in securing turbine blades. The project, set to be located 40 miles off Long Beach Island and comprising up to 100 wind turbines, is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately one million homes.

However, Invenergy, the power company behind the development, requested earlier in September that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities pause the project until late December. The delay comes as the company struggles to secure turbine blades from three different suppliers.

“We are committed in New Jersey to our offshore wind goals,” Christine Guhl-Sadovy, president of the utilities board, said. “This action will allow Invenergy to find a suitable wind turbine supplier. We look forward to delivering on the project that will help grow our clean energy workforce and contribute to clean energy generation for the state.”

GE Vernova, the project’s initial supplier, has experienced multiple incidents this year involving turbine blade failures, with debris spilling into the ocean both in the U.S. and internationally.

The manufacturer ultimately informed Leading Light Wind developers just three weeks after the project’s approval that it would no longer build the specific turbine type required.

Turbines from the company Vestas had been considered as a substitute, but were later deemed unsuitable for the project’s needs. Meanwhile, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, the last available supplier, has significantly raised the cost of its turbines, adding another hurdle to the project’s progress.

Invenergy stated that the pause would give them more time to coordinate with supply chain partners to acquire the necessary materials while continuing to advance other development activities during the delay.

This setback is the latest in a series of challenges for New Jersey’s offshore wind ambitions. Last year, two projects from wind energy giant Ørsted were canceled due to rising costs.

GE Vernova announces staff cuts amid wind turbine failures, financial losses

September 23, 2024

GE Vernova has announced significant staff reductions in its offshore wind business following a series of operational setbacks and financial losses. The company stated that 900 employees globally could be affected by the move, citing rising material costs and persistent supply chain disruptions as key reasons behind the decision.

“The proposal reflects industry wide challenges for wind and aims to transform our offshore wind business into a smaller, leaner and more profitable business within GE Vernova,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

This downsizing comes as GE Vernova’s offshore wind division faces mounting challenges, including a $300 million projected loss for the current quarter. The company’s CEO Scott Strazik revealed that it is currently struggling to complete an order backlog worth $3 billion.

The decision follows a year marked by technical issues with GE Vernova’s offshore wind projects. Over the summer, turbine blades at wind farms off the coasts of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and the United Kingdom experienced failures, with blades breaking and debris falling into the ocean. These incidents came after a similar blade failure at the same U.K. wind farm earlier in May.

Amid these new staffing cutbacks, GE Vernova stated that it will prioritize allocating its resources towards existing projects, including quality control operations.