Wind Farming in Lake Eerie is Part of New Wind Farming Trend
Posted on 21. Jul, 2010 by keith in Environmental Impact
It’s easy to tell where wind farming is taking place: you see wind turbines located in an open space, their blades spinning in unison. But where wind farms should be located has become something of an issue, especially since wind power became the renewable energy source of choice for states hoping to reduce their consumption of non-renewable energy. The first requirement of a wind farm location is that it be free of wind blocking obstacles, such as close tree lines and shifting terrain. The second requirement is that the wind turbines don’t impinge on other practices that take place at a location, such as crop farming.
As a result, many wind farms are being planned for installation in bodies of water, particularly off of coastlines and in lakes, an example of which can be seen in wind farm scheduled to be installed in Lake Eerie by GE and nonprofit Lake Energy Development Corp. (LEEDCo). The farm will be the first to be located in freshwater, and will consist of five wind turbines that will generate 20 megawatts of power by 2012, with the long-term goal being to generate 1,000 megawatts by 2020. Standing 200 feet tall with blades up to 150 feet long, the turbines will produce enough electricity to power as many as 7,000 homes.
But, even as wind farming is a boon for reducing non-renewable energy consumption, critics of wind farming commonly cite farms’ unattractive appearance and the noise that the turbines generate when operating in strong winds. Another criticism is that wind farming can threaten animal life at certain locations. Even so, most water-based wind farms are scheduled to go forward. In addition to the Lake Eerie project, a wind farm is also being planned in the waters near Nantucket Sound, and New York State is seeking developers for a wind turbine project in lake Ontario.
