Staff Reports
In a surprising plot twist for environmentally friendly energy, the Biden-Harris administration’s push for offshore wind power could result in thousands of gigantic turbine blades ending up as uninvited guests on our beautiful beaches. If the administration successfully reaches its ambitious goal of 30 gigawatts from offshore wind by 2030, Americans could brace themselves for over 6,400 wind turbine blades—each towering at a staggering 300 feet long—spinning merrily over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. But when it comes to these green behemoths, a little blade breakage can seriously spoil the party.
By 2018, a report indicated that nearly 3,800 blades had gone belly-up out of approximately 700,000 operational blades worldwide. That’s a failure rate of about 1.5% per turbine. Given the Biden administration’s lofty offshore wind objectives, this could translate into an average of 30 broken blades falling into the ocean each year. While wind energy champions may herald offshore wind farms as the panacea for climate change, they conveniently overlook the potential for marine pollution that could arise.
If Biden-Harris admin’s offshore targets met, dozens of toxic blades could pollute, estimates show https://t.co/3TvtP7m1Yq
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) October 8, 2024
Public opinion in areas like Rhode Island has seemed to swing based on recent events. A survey indicated a 70% favorability toward offshore wind, but that enthusiasm took a nosedive following a dramatic incident where a blade shattered off a turbine near Martha’s Vineyard. Just months later, a different poll revealed that only 58% of voters still supported offshore wind initiatives. It appears that the once belligerent cheerleaders for wind energy were muted by the sight of debris washing ashore, prompting many to reconsider the environmental toll of these supposed eco-friendly endeavors.
The ambitious plans call for thousands of these turbines, but experts are raising alarms regarding their actual reliability and long-term sustainability. The Vineyard Wind project, designed to host many turbines, has already seen blade failures during relatively tranquil weather conditions. Industry insiders are warning that if these behemoths continue to be built without addressing their inherent weaknesses, the problem could become even more pronounced, leading to more broken blades littering the ocean.
Wind champion Meghan Lapp has suggested that the annual number of broken blades might be closer to 48 if the blade failure rate is consistent with observations on the East Coast. So far, the larger blades intended for offshore turbines have proven vulnerable to failure. If the Biden-Harris team continues pushing for enormous turbines, the potential for environmental mishaps could escalate alarmingly. The sight of used turbine blades being carelessly abandoned or piled up in Texas and Minnesota serves as a grim warning of what could come. If high failure rates persist, future generations may soon have to contend with “blade graveyards” alongside their environmental concerns.
