Great Lakes Offshore Wind: Great Lakes Offshore Wind: Protecting the Lakes and Building Protecting the Lakes and Building

a New Energy Future?a New Energy Future?

Offshore wind can help reduce the massive societal costs imposed by our reliance on coal

Why offshore wind?

RPS

Why offshore?Why offshore?

POPULATION

WIND Opportunity to fill in behind coal Opportunity to fill in behind coal with utility scale renewable energy. with utility scale renewable energy.

The Great Lakes states see offshore wind The Great Lakes states see offshore wind as a major economic development as a major economic development opportunity.opportunity.

NYPA RFP for up to 500 MW of

offshore wind; put on hold for now

Draft bottomlands leasing legislation;

development interest from Apex Wind and

Bluewater Wind

LEEDCo 25 MW pilot project has conditional lease and half of the

required permits. Goal to construct pilot project in 2013; build out to 600

MW by 2020

New Governor’s task force on offshore wind; Evanston interested in purchasing 70

MW offshore wind

Unfortunate legislative push-back to a poorly sited

proposal would ban all offshore renewable energy development and research;

not likely to succeed

Temporary moratorium on offshore wind development in response to public

backlash over poorly sited proposals

Key BarriersKey Barriers

CostCost Pilot stage of industry and no local supply chain = Pilot stage of industry and no local supply chain =

costs in the $0.20+/kwh range for early projectscosts in the $0.20+/kwh range for early projects Regulatory uncertaintyRegulatory uncertainty

No existing siting or permitting regime in the Great No existing siting or permitting regime in the Great Lakes = difficulty securing insurance and financing, Lakes = difficulty securing insurance and financing, development delays, unclear path for public development delays, unclear path for public engagement, unclear criteria for siting decisionsengagement, unclear criteria for siting decisions

Public/political opinionPublic/political opinion Without public support, this industry will not get off Without public support, this industry will not get off

the groundthe ground

Path Forward—SitingPath Forward—Siting

Ensure that the first projects are Ensure that the first projects are sited appropriately to avoid sited appropriately to avoid backlash.backlash. 5 mile set-back from shore for 5 mile set-back from shore for

avian migrationavian migration Avoid islands/migratory pathwaysAvoid islands/migratory pathways Time construction to avoid Time construction to avoid

spawning periodsspawning periods Work proactively with volunteers Work proactively with volunteers

and developers to identify and and developers to identify and avoid problem areasavoid problem areas

Path Forward—SitingPath Forward—Siting GL Wind siting project GL Wind siting project

helping to build a helping to build a comprehensive GIS tool to comprehensive GIS tool to support good siting decisionssupport good siting decisions

Based on Maine OWEGIS Based on Maine OWEGIS system built by University of system built by University of Maine, with support from the Maine, with support from the Sewall CompanySewall Company

650+ data layers650+ data layers Physical environmentPhysical environment Coastal hazardsCoastal hazards Environmental impacts & Environmental impacts &

wildlifewildlife Cultural & aesthetic featuresCultural & aesthetic features Legal, permitting boundariesLegal, permitting boundaries

Coordinating with existing Coordinating with existing efforts to add valueefforts to add value

Path Forward—SitingPath Forward—Siting

Obtain information to Obtain information to support good decisionssupport good decisions

GVSU led collaborative GVSU led collaborative research projectresearch project Testing and validation of Testing and validation of

LIDAR wind assessment LIDAR wind assessment technology on floating technology on floating platformplatform

Acoustic monitoring for Acoustic monitoring for avian and bat populationsavian and bat populations

Data publicly available on Data publicly available on the webthe web

Path Forward—PermittingPath Forward—Permitting

Develop state policy on Develop state policy on bottomlands leasing and bottomlands leasing and offshore wind permittingoffshore wind permitting

Ensure strong public Ensure strong public involvement, involvement, environmental reviewenvironmental review

Make consistent between Make consistent between states, more efficient in states, more efficient in wind development zoneswind development zones

Path Forward—MarketPath Forward—Market

Support large market developmentSupport large market development Advance utility, state and/or municipal collaboration Advance utility, state and/or municipal collaboration

on procurementon procurement Pooled purchasing spreads increased cost over broad rate Pooled purchasing spreads increased cost over broad rate

base and gets the industry to scalebase and gets the industry to scale Goal is to have a market for ~3000 MW of offshore wind, Goal is to have a market for ~3000 MW of offshore wind,

which will generate a local supply chain, while spreading which will generate a local supply chain, while spreading the ratepayer impact across a large areathe ratepayer impact across a large area

Path Forward—Public OpinionPath Forward—Public Opinion

Build public and political supportBuild public and political support Educate communities and decision-makers about Educate communities and decision-makers about

environmental, economic benefitsenvironmental, economic benefits Dispel misconceptionsDispel misconceptions Build partnerships with new alliesBuild partnerships with new allies Ensure transparency and broad engagement in decision-Ensure transparency and broad engagement in decision-

making to build trust, public acceptancemaking to build trust, public acceptance

For more information:For more information:Emily GreenEmily Green

Sierra Club Great Lakes Program DirectorSierra Club Great Lakes Program Director608-257-4994608-257-4994

emily.green@sierraclub.orgemily.green@sierraclub.org