The massive blade that broke off a windmill tower, splashed down into the ocean and had pieces wash up on Nantucket beaches a few weeks ago is having repercussions here today in Connecticut. The joint venture project being developed by a division of Orange-based Avangrid and a Dutch renewable energy company is under scrutiny, even as construction of the 806-megawatt offshore wind farm came to halt in mid-July when a 300-foot section of a 360-foot blade broke off one of the turbines that are part of Vineyard Wind. The project, which is a joint venture of Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, is being developed about 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and 35 miles from mainland Massachusetts. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:29
Tag Archives: massachusetts
Wind Turbine Blade Fails on GE Vernova Turbine at UK Dogger Bank Wind Farm
A blade on one of the wind turbines at the under-construction Dogger Bank wind farm off the coast of England failed yesterday, August 22. Details on the incident are sparse at this point and neither GE Vernova, manufacturer of the blade, nor SSE Renewables the spokesperson for the consortium behind the project are commenting. This is the second failure of a blade at the UK wind farm although the companies blamed the prior one on a problem during installation. The wind farm however is also using the 13 MW GE Halidale-X turbines, the same manufacturing that confirmed a “manufacturing deviation,” causing a blade at Vineyard Wind 1, a U.S. offshore wind, to break apart in July. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:27
Fishermen organizing ‘flotilla’ protest against offshore wind
In response to recent concerns over offshore wind and with debris washing up on Nantucket and Island beaches from a fractured turbine blade, the New England Fisherman’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) has organized a “flotilla” for this Sunday, bringing fishing boats together to peacefully protest in unison against the offshore wind industry. Boats will be joining together in a “boat parade” from various areas of the east coast, said NEFSA founder and CEO Jerry Leeman, including the Vineyard, Nantucket, parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and potentially New Jersey. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:03
Nantucket Select Board no fan of federal wind farm regulator
The Nantucket Select Board has released what might be described as a dispatch from the front lines of offshore wind development, a hot take on what it’s like to be a municipality trying to co-exist with the nation’s first industrial-scale wind farm. The hot take takes the form of answers to 25 frequently asked questions, some of which merely lay out the existing regulatory landscape Nantucket finds itself in while others criticize federal regulators for prioritizing national concerns over those of local communities. The Select Board sharply criticizes the main federal offshore wind regulator, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM. “We do not believe BOEM is fulfilling its duty,” the board said. “We have seen little balance in BOEM’s permitting approach to offshore wind, which significantly favors industry developers, including foreign-government owned developers, over the legitimate concerns of US coastal communities and Tribal Nations.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:04
‘Wicked Tuna’ to End With Season 13 on National Geographic
“Wicked Tuna” has been canceled by National Geographic following the conclusion of its Season 13 run. “After thirteen seasons on the high seas and more than 200 incredible episodes, the long-running series ‘Wicked Tuna’ has concluded its run on National Geographic,” the cable channel said in a statement Friday. “The series celebrated one of America’s oldest industries since first premiering on National Geographic in 2012 and made internationally recognizable stars out of the intrepid commercial fishermen who brave the unrelenting North Atlantic waters to catch the elusive bluefin tuna. The cancellation of “Wicked Tuna” comes amid major cost cutting at National Geographic parent company Disney, which is consolidating operations among its linear TV networks. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:01
Jonah crab
As the story goes, the prophet boarded a ship to get as far away as possible from the city of Nineveh, where God commanded him to go and preach. In anger, God sent a storm to threaten the ship. His shipmates decided that Jonah was to blame for the storm and threw him overboard. We know where he ended up. It was a whale of a tale. For mariners, Jonah’s name became synonymous with bad luck. In more modern times, bad luck for lobster fisherfolk meant that they found a certain crab in their lobster pots, one that ate their bait before a lobster could get it, leaving the trap empty and, them, empty handed. That crab was called a Jonah crab because at one time it was a nuisance for participants in this fishery, an unfortunate and unprofitable catch. Oh, how times have changed. Jonah crabs have gone from pest to plate and are an up-and-coming trash to treasure species. At one time, these crabs were considered bycatch and often thrown back or discarded. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:24
Shattered Wind Blade Puts Nantucket on Frontlines of a Clean-Energy Fight
Weeks after a busted wind turbine washed onto Nantucket shores, residents of this wealthy Massachusetts enclave are still angry. Some even liken the accident to an oil spill. While their ire belies the fleeting nature of the event — waters were re-opened for swimming within 24 hours — the sense of harm felt by the community threatens to cast a long shadow. Vineyard Wind’s project south of Nantucket is the fledgling industry’s marquee venture, heralding a massive buildout of wind energy that would provide coastal cities with zero-carbon electricity. What happens here could have implications for a raft of other projects planned off Martha’s Vineyard, Atlantic City and elsewhere on the Eastern seaboard. “The great Nantucket experiment gets an F-minus,” says Kevin O’Leary, chairman of O’Leary Ventures and an investor on the reality show Shark Tank who visits Nantucket every summer. “It’s not a golden example of success in wind turbines, that’s for sure.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:24
Crawlers to Inspect Blades After Vineyard Wind Failure
Vineyard Wind and GE Vernova on Friday released a plan outlining the steps to be followed after a turbine blade failure last month at the Vineyard Wind offshore project off the coast of Massachusetts, which left potentially dangerous debris on beaches on the island of Nantucket. Vineyard Wind, the first major U.S. offshore wind farm, was shut down by federal authorities after the turbine blade failure. The plan outlines the steps to be followed to recover the remainder of the blade on the turbine. It has been developed in consultation the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard, the companies said in a statement. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:47
And they call this “green” energy.
The centerpiece of Biden/Harris “accomplishments” is the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included $369 billion worth of green giveaways/grants, including 30 gigawatts of offshore wind turbines by 2030. Harris plans to spend $10 trillion in public/private funding on green initiatives. So, how is it going? On July 13, a massive blade from a wind turbine nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower collapsed into the Massachusetts Nantucket Sound for no apparent reason throwing the tourist destination into economic crisis at the height of the summer season. More than six truckloads’ worth of debris was collected, with more still washing up weeks later. Miles of the island’s famous ocean beaches had to be closed for days due to the dangerous debris, yet the media coverage was negligible. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< by Arthur Keller 07:17
CT-based Avangrid wind farm under scrutiny, energy production halted, after blade shatters.
‘Paris has the Olympics, Menemsha has scallop-shucking’
Around 20 commercial fishing vessels pulled up to the docks stern in. They were supposed to be in by 2 pm but most of them were in by noon, Edmundson said, alluding to an eagerness amongst participants. They had more boats actually than they’d anticipated, both from the Island and mainland. The docks and surrounding area were crowded from 3 pm to 7 pm Thursday with roughly 200 people in attendance. Some gathered to check out the fishing fleet and others stood in line at the raw bar, manned by Quinn and Grady Keefe of Outkast Oyster Company. The brothers, who grew up shucking at the Homeport Restaurant, served Menemsha Creek Oysters for a suggested $3 donation. 7 photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:37
Letter: I have never been so disappointed in our local Senators, Elizabeth Warren, and Ed Markey.
I have supported both in the past. As a retired fisherman, I am still trying to help those stay afloat. I sent a letter to both asking them to update The Magnuson Act and add wording that NOAA must compare their science, and survey to other independent science and survey before placing restrictions on fish. Under law NOAA does not have to compare them. We have many problems, monitoring cost, lost fishing grounds of Cape Cod called the canyons, and now wind farms off our coast. We need help to overcome these problems, we need our senators to step to the plate now, before it’s too late. Let’s save what is left. Thank you, Sam Parisi 17:02Vineyard Wind Resumes Some Construction During Investigation
Though pieces of the broken Vineyard Wind turbine continued to fall into the ocean south of the Island this week, federal regulators have approved the wind farm to restart some construction work. On Monday, several sections of the malfunctioning turbine blade that were still attached to the turbine split off and sunk to the ocean floor. Boats were dispatched to the area and both GE Vernova, the turbine manufacturer, and Vineyard Wind were working to clean up the blade pieces and popcorn-sized chunks of styrofoam that had spread into the water. While Vineyard Wind cannot generate any power from the turbines, the company has turned to other work around the rest of the planned 62-turbine wind farm with the blessing of the federal government. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which oversees offshore wind projects in the U.S., had previously said operations at the wind farm 14 miles south of the Vineyard had shut down until further notice after the 107-meter turbine blade broke. On Saturday, the federal agency clarified that Vineyard Wind could do some work not directly connected to the turbines, such as installing cables in the sea floor. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:05
Massachusetts political contributions from Nantucket wind farm developer scrutinized
As Nantucket continues to reel from the Vineyard Wind turbine blade failure, critics are raising concerns around how the project’s parent company, Avangrid, has donated thousands of dollars in campaign money to state elected officials. A Herald analysis found that employees who list Avangrid as their employer have made 217 donations totaling $57,677 to dozens of state and local campaigns since March 2018, two months before the Baker administration selected a Vineyard Wind bid for contract negotiation. Notable figures include project supporters Gov. Maura Healey receiving 38 donations totaling $16,425 since 2018, and state Sen. Julian Cyr, a Democrat whose district represents the Cape and Islands, collecting 17 contributions for $3,036 since 2021, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:29
Broken Turbine Blade Near Nantucket Prompts a ‘Told You So!’
A broken turbine blade in the Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm led federal officials to suspend its operations in Nantucket. The incident resulted in large and small fiberglass and foam pieces from the turbine blade washing ashore on Nantucket’s southern beaches, more than 15 miles away. On Thursday, July 25, Cape May County released a statement by Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio calling the incident in Massachusetts “an environmental catastrophe akin to an oil spill.” Desiderio said that “we were right to oppose offshore wind,” referencing the county’s strong opposition to the Danish firm Orsted’s plans for Ocean Wind I and II off the southern New Jersey coast. He added, “We will continue our opposition moving forward.” Desiderio’s statement recapped the county’s actions in opposition to the Orsted wind farm projects. He took pains to say that opposition by the county government was never based on a denial of climate change or incentivized by the oil industry. “Our opposition to offshore wind was always about protecting our local economy, our fishing industry and our way of life,” he said. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:08
Fisherman illegally catches more than a dozen oversized stripers off New England coast
A Massachusetts fisherman is under arrest after investigators announced that he illegally caught 14 oversized striped bass off the New Hampshire coast last week. New Hampshire Fish and Game reported that they had received reports that a boater had been fishing in the Atlantic Ocean off New Castle and Rye with no lights on at night. Officers from the Maine Marine Patrol and Massachusetts Environmental Police began their lookout for the boater in question alongside local police. The Portsmouth Police Department eventually located him after he had loaded his boat onto a trailer and “was in the act of ditching the fish.” Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:50
Scallopers assail continued closure of Northern Edge
Fisheries regulators voted this month to “discontinue” development of a plan to reopen the Northern Edge of Georges Bank — a lucrative scallop ground that has long been closed to commercial fishing. In April, the New England Fishery Management Council agreed to consider requests to reopen the fishing grounds at the urging of both the scallop industry and Mayor Jon Mitchell. He and industry representatives cited significant headwinds for the region’s top fishery, including a slump in prices and fewer days at sea for fishermen. They added that opening the Northern Edge would benefit the whole port economy and surrounding businesses. But in the midst of a four-day meeting in Freeport, Maine, the Council voted not to continue discussing plans to reopen the area in order to focus on the “long-term productivity of the Georges Bank scallop resource.” For regulators, it’s a balancing act to weigh sustainability and the economic pressures on fishermen to sustain their livelihoods. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:43
Vineyard Wind Installed the Largest Offshore Turbines in the World. Were They Ready for Primetime?
When Vineyard Wind completed the installation of the first GE Vernova Haliade-X 13-megawatt wind turbine in the waters southwest of Nantucket in October 2023, the company trumpeted it as “the largest turbine in the western world.” It was supposed to be one of the 62 turbines that would make up the first large-scale, commercial offshore wind farm in the United States. But just nine months later, the project has been suspended by the federal government after the now infamous turbine blade failure on July 13th that left Nantucket’s beaches and the waters surrounding the island littered with fiberglass and styrofoam debris that is still being recovered. While offshore wind energy production has a decades-long track record in Europe and Asia, the Vineyard Wind project was the first of its kind in the United States, and the turbines Vineyard Wind is installing are larger and more powerful than any that have come before it. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:55
‘So-called expert bureaucrats’: Fishermen rip Sen Warren’s new plan to ‘silence’ them
America’s seafood leaders are pushing back on new plans from Democrats on Capitol Hill to revive a legal doctrine that fishermen say threatens to “silence” them. On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., led several of her Democrat colleagues in introducing the Stop Corporate Capture Act (SCCA), which she says is aimed at stopping corporations from “hijacking” the government. With the new threat of the Chevron doctrine finding permanence in federal law, New England fishermen are crying foul and pointing to the recent offshore wind disaster wreaking havoc on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket as a prime example of why lawmakers should not give “expert bureaucrats” power over their industry. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:45
TX Fishing Industry Under Threat From BlackRock Wind Farm Project
The massive destruction wrought on Massachusetts’ Vineyard Wind project has raised new questions about the safety and prudence of a similar BlackRock-backed project planned off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas near Port Arthur. Bonnie Brady of the Long Island Commercial Fisherman’s Association posted several pictures of broken and mangled offshore wind turbines from a recent storm to her X account on July 20. The images depict turbines with snapped blades hanging from their mounts. They also show large shards of metal and other debris washing ashore. Brady directed her post to every East Coast governor and the major presidential contenders, save for Vice President Kamala Harris, who had not yet announced her presidential candidacy, warning of what could happen to the fishing industry. “Stop the madness while you still can, because when the fiberglass lands on your shores you will (eventually) be out of the job. Ps we will never forget you threw US commercial fishing industries under the bus,” she wrote. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:14
Vineyard Wind crisis: Fishermen blast feds for saying they don’t care about whales
The claim came during a Thursday hearing in Boston federal appeals court as two fishing groups look to toss Vineyard Wind’s underlying permit, arguing regulators failed to analyze how the project would impact the environment and fishermen. “The alliance, as a trade association representing the fishing industry, does not have any interest in protecting right whales,” said attorney Thekla Hansen-Young, representing the Department of the Interior, the National Marine Fisheries Service, among other federal agencies, in the dispute. Hansen-Young was referring to the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, one of the groups fighting the feds and Vineyard Wind. Seafreeze Shoreside Inc. is the other. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:06
GE Vernova finds Manufacturing Defect after Vineyard Wind Turbine Accident
The company is facing scrutiny after a massive blade fell into the ocean July 13 at the project in Massachusetts, stopping construction at the nation’s biggest offshore wind farm. Strazik said there’s no sign of a design flaw in its Haliade-X offshore turbine, but it’s halting production at the Gaspe, Canada, plant while the company inspects its blades. “The blade left the factory with insufficient bonding — the glue,” Strazik said. The Gaspe plant in Quebec has been in production since 2006 and has made about 150 offshore blades, including most of the blades for the Vineyard Wind project that experienced the blade failure. Strazik declined to say how many offshore blades have been produced to date at the company’s three blade plants. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:07
Aquinnah tribe calls for moratorium on offshore wind development
In the aftermath of a broken turbine blade off the Vineyard’s coast, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is calling for a moratorium on all offshore wind development in the United States until further research can be done on the impact of wind farm construction. Aquinnah Wampanoag chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais expressed “strong concerns and outrage” over the fractured Vineyard Wind turbine blade and the debris that washed ashore on Nantucket in a letter to Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement director Kevin M. Sligh, Sr. Andrews-Maltais, in a July 18 letter, said the foam and fiberglass debris have “potential negative and adverse impact[s]” on the environment, marine life, and human health. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:19
LBI offshore wind critics sound alarm after Massachusetts turbine breaks
A Long Beach Island-based group critical of offshore wind development is calling for a moratorium on additional New Jersey’s wind projects following the failure of a turbine off the coast of Massachusetts this month. “Save LBI” called for the moratorium from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Monday, citing the impacts from a broken turbine at the Vineyard Wind project off Martha’s Vineyard. After a blade broke off the turbine, beaches in the region were littered with debris and shards of fiberglass. “The incident is a stark reminder of the many potential disasters offshore wind turbines can pose to the shore and the marine environment and adds to the concerns already raised regarding turbine visibility, reduced breeze, and airborne noise,” Save LBI president and founder Bob Stern said in a release. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 17:28
New wind turbine blade debris discovered Sunday off Mass. coast, company says
The discovery comes just days after the remaining piece of blade from a damaged offshore wind turbine fell into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. Vineyard Wind said on Saturday that it was sending additional resources to Nantucket and surrounding coastal communities after the remaining piece of blade from a damaged offshore wind turbine fell into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday. “Members of the public should avoid handling debris as the fiber-glass pieces can be sharp and lead to cuts if handled without proper gloves,” the company said. “Vineyard Wind is working to bag, track and transport all debris off the island and to proper storage as soon as possible. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 06:27
Humboldt County Officials Respond to Recent Turbine Blade Collapse at East Coast Vineyard Wind Farm
Operations were suspended this week at Vineyard Wind 1, an offshore wind farm located about 35 miles off the coast of mainland Massachusetts, after a damaged wind turbine blade broke apart and fell into the ocean. The cause of the incident remains unknown. Project developer Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, is an affiliate of Vineyard Offshore, the company planning to build a floating offshore wind farm here on the North Coast. In a statement issued Monday, Vineyard officials noted that the project is still in its commissioning phase and offered reassurance that the company has “detailed plans to guide its response” to such incidents. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:37
Nantucket Select Board to pursue litigation against Vineyard Wind in wake of blade failure
Amid the Vineyard Wind crisis rattling the island, the Nantucket Select Board is set to pursue litigation against the wind energy company in connection to the blade failure that has resulted in debris floating on the ocean and washing ashore. The Select Board is scheduled to meet in executive session on Tuesday to discuss the path forward relative to recovery costs associated with the disaster, according to an agenda posted on the town website Friday. Select Board members will convene in a public session on Wednesday evening with a follow-up on the Vineyard Wind 1 blade failure and an update on the cleanup slated to be part of the town manager’s report. This all comes as the blade failure, which popped up last Saturday about 21 miles south of Nantucket, continues to wreak havoc on the island. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 16:37
CMP Parent Company’s Offshore Wind Turbine Creates Environmental Disaster Off New England Coast
An offshore wind turbine project operated by Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners broke apart this week, scattering debris throughout Massachusetts’ coastal waters, with much of the flotsam washing up on Nantucket beaches. Since the turbine experienced a catastrophic malfunction — for reasons that are not yet clear — social media has been inundated with pictures and videos of beachgoers and government employees picking up trash bags and dumpsters full of debris. The turbine in question is owned by Vineyard Wind US, a joint project of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners of Denmark and Avangrid, the parent company of Central Maine Power (CMP). The turbine itself was manufactured by GE Vernova, which has experienced similar failures in the past with their offshore wind projects. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:53
‘Bunch Of Suits Trying To Cover Their Tracks’: Beach Town Locals Slam Offshore Wind Developer For Polluting Shores
Local lobsterman Dan Pronk lamented the effects the debris has had on his business and the environment during the town hall meeting while holding a piece of fiberglass that had washed up on the beach, while also addressing Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller personally, according to another video posted on X by the Nantucket Current. “I fish 800 lobster traps right where you’re putting these tombstones, which is also the end of my business… When you apply [fiberglass]… you have to wear respirators. For what reason? Because it’s toxic. If you breathe those fumes… you’ll get higher than a rat,” he continued. “So, it is toxic. What do you have to say about that, Klaus?” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:37
Vineyard Wind Turbine Failure: Incident Details, Regulatory Response, and Industry Implications
On July 13, 2024, an offshore wind turbine at the Vineyard Wind 1 project experienced a significant blade failure, leading to debris washing up on Nantucket’s beaches and prompting a federal shutdown of the wind farm. This incident raises obvious questions about the safety and reliability of offshore wind projects, as well as the regulatory framework governing this emerging industry. In the days following the incident, debris from the broken turbine blade began washing up on Nantucket’s south shore beaches. Residents reported finding pieces of green and white foam, along with larger pieces of fiberglass, stretching from Madaket to Nobadeer. In response to the incident, the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) ordered Vineyard Wind to shut down operations “until further notice”. The BSEE, which oversees offshore energy projects, sent a team of experts to work closely with Vineyard Wind on analyzing the cause of the incident and determining next steps. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:22
Broken Offshore Wind Blade Debris Washes Up in Nantucket
Investigators are probing the cause of a damaged offshore wind turbine blade that sent debris washing ashore at Nantucket Beach and shut down swimming in the area. The incident occurred Saturday evening at the 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind project under construction near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, prompting the probe by federal officials, developers Avangrid Inc. and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S, and GE Vernova Inc., which manufactured the Haliade-X turbines used at the site. Operations at the site have been suspended while investigations are underway, and authorities closed Nantucket’s south shore to swimming for three days. Photos, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:46
