There have been 75 recorded wind events in Boston. The most severe event was a hurricane, which occurred in 1869.
It was recorded as a category 3 with 1-min sustained wind speeds up to 115 mph and 3-second wind gusts up to 147 mph.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-worst-massachusetts-hurricanes-of-the-20th-century
The Captain
GE Vernova May Cut 900 Offshore Wind Jobs as It Scales Back
The energy company GE Vernova said on Friday that it would pare back its troubled offshore wind business, which has been hit with financial losses and accidents. The changes, which are aimed at coping with a difficult environment for the wind industry, could result in around 900 job losses.
The companyâs struggles are a blow to the offshore wind industry, which is a major source of electric power in northern Europe and is thought to have potential to supply large volumes of green energy to the East Coast of the United States.
A substantial downsizing of GE Vernova would leave just two main western players, Siemens Gamesa of Germany and Vestas Wind Systems of Demark â a situation that could leave the industry short of construction capacity and could push equipment prices higher, raising consumersâ bills.
DB2
News from last weekâŚ
âWe believe the business is likely to be of greater value for another owner,â William Lin, BPâs executive vice president for gas and low carbon energy said in a statement.
Several offshore wind companies have cancelled or sought to renegotiate power contracts for planned U.S. projects in the past year, citing soaring materials costs, high interest rates, and supply chain disruptions.
BP Wind Energyâs assets, which have net total generating capacity of 1.3 gigawatts, are not aligned with BPâs plans for growth in Lightsource bp, the London-listed company said.
_ Pete
If GE can not make quality wind turbines that are strong and economical, then they should not be in the offshore wind industry. The market has a way of eliminating losers. Just look at Boeing and all their troubles.
A good point. Also the one about it leading to higher prices.
Their onshore business is apparently only so-so:
GE Vernova CEO still waiting for US onshore wind âinflection pointâ
https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/ge-vernova-ceo-still-waiting-for-us-onshore-wind-inflection-point/2-1-1708973
CEO Scott Strazik said turbine market leader GE Vernova expects US onshore wind capacity additions this year in mid-single digit gigawatts, a âpretty small number,â and comparable to the disappointing 6.4GW in 2023.
The OEM also sees 2025 as continuing a relatively weak US onshore wind growth story although installations could reach high single digits, according to Strazik.
DB2
Re: GE offshore wind
I see no indication GE is leaving the market. They are cutting costs.
Recall Vernova is the troubled electrical machinery part of GE. Margins are low. Profits not easy. Extremely competitive. How can products made in USA compete in world markets.
They talk up the increased need for electricity for new data centers and EVs. But copper might be a better investment.
Wind has to be the future for growth potential. Solve those problems. Invest in new technologies. And magically you make lots of money. Dream on!!
Wind turbines are the future. On shore if offshore is delayed. Inflation has been painful and this segment is especially vulnerable.
Huge New Jersey offshore wind project approved for construction
3 October 2024
The 2.8 gigawatt Atlantic Shores project aims to start construction next year and connect to the grid by 2029. Itâll have to beat legal challenges to get there.
Federal regulators gave a huge, contentious offshore wind project the green light to start construction off the coast of New Jersey.
Owned by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, a 50-50 venture by Shell and EDF Renewables, the project received approval of air permits from the Environmental Protection Agency and of construction and operation permits from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Tuesday.
The developer plans to install a total of about 200 wind turbines in federally owned waters between 10 and 20 miles off the Jersey shore. Itâs also working with utilities to build several offshore substations and two undersea transmission lines that will connect the project to the grid near Atlantic City and farther north in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Construction on phase one of the recently approved project, known as Atlantic Shores South, is set to begin in 2025, and it could start sending power to the grid in 2028 or 2029, according to the developer. The second phase of the project was also approved, but there is no timeline for its construction yet.
So, how much do they think it will cost â both to the state and to the residential consumer?
DB2
Much less than a nuclear power plant like Vogtle 3&4 on $/MW.
It sounds like you have no numbers on the costs for the wind to the residential consumer or to the state.
FWIW, Microsoft and Google and Amazon are signing up for nuclear to power their data centers.
DB2
Note that NJ has no energy of its own. All its power is imported one way or anotherâcoal, ng, oil, or nuclear.
Developing wind, wave, and solar there makes senseâwhen the numbers work.
I was more interested in what New Jersey is going to pay ($X billion to company A) and what Company A is going to charge the local utilities ($/MWh). Then, what will happen to residential electricity rates.
DB2
Why are you so worried about offshore wind? There are other power projects that are being built across US with similar cost concerns to residential electricity rates.
Mostly because the cost of offshore wind when including grid and connection costs are very high (in addition to be inconstant).
DB2
The cost of nuclear power is even worse with all the issues with siting, natural phenomena design requirements, excessive water usage, security requirements, and radioactive waste disposal.
The hydroelectric power has similar issues as nuclear power.
What do you mean by calling offshore wind âinconstantâ?
Of course, wind energy projects are what the thread is about (see thread title).
DB2
The wind contracts would increase residential electric rates by $6.84 a month. Commercial rates would rise $58.73 a month, while industrial customers would see their bill rise $513.22 a month, according to commission estimates.
Another provision is that monopiles for the turbines would have to be bought from NJ companies. The futured of these companies were jeopardized by the earlier cancellation.
One consequential provision of Wednesdayâs contracts is the developersâ pledge to buy monopiles â as turbine foundations are known â from a factory in southern New Jersey. The pair also agreed to provide $164 million to fund an expansion of EEW Americaâs monopile factory in Paulsboro, New Jersey.
From last yearâŚ
This month theyâre giving up.
âThis Firm represents Invenergy Wind Offshore LLC (the âCompanyâ), the developer of the 2,400 MW Leading Light Wind Project (âLLW Projectâ or the âProjectâ). On behalf of the Company, please accept this letter as formal notice to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (the âBoardâ) that the Company has determined it cannot move forward with the ProjectâŚâ
DB2
