The USA’s first offshore wind farm will use 3.6MW wind turbines supplied by Siemens.
The supply contract, announced last week, will also see Siemens providing an offshore Electric Service Platform (ESP) and a service agreement for the first 15 years of commercial operations of the facility.
“This is a significant milestone for this project and we’re excited about it,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “Massachusetts will be a pioneer in the emerging offshore wind industry, which brings with it both clean energy and good jobs.”
Located on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound, Cape Wind will consist of 130 wind turbines with a collective capacity of 468 megawatts. In average winds, Cape Wind will generate enough power to provide for three quarters of Cape Cod and Islands’ electricity needs.
The turbines to be used are considered Siemens’ workhorse of the offshore wind sector. Already in extensive use throughout the world, the 3.6MW turbine is also being implemented in at least eight other offshore wind farms currently under construction or approaching construction.
It’s estimated Cape Wind will reduce wholesale electric market prices in New England by over USD $4 billion over the 25 year operating life of the wind farm.
The project will create up to a thousand jobs in assembly and ocean construction and 150 permanent jobs; mostly going to people from local communities.
Cape Wind is currently in its financing phase and is a project being developed by Energy Management Inc. (EMI). Established in 1975 and originally focused on energy conservation and pollution control for industry, the company has also developed six gas fired power generation projects. EMI began to focus on renewable energy projects in 1999.
Construction of Cape Wind is expected to last 18 months.
