Wind Farm planned for the Horseshoe

[David Churbuck]

<P>A Cape Cod group is applying for permits and funding to construct a "wind farm" of electricity generating windmills on Horseshoe Shoal. </P><P>"The wind farm would consist of 150 to 200 turbines spread over 28 square miles in the relatively shallow water of Horseshoe Shoal, about five miles south of Cotuit. </P><P>It could generate up to 420 megawatts of electricity - close to Cape Cod's summer peak load - according to Cape Wind Associates LLC, the corporation that has proposed the farm."</P><P>Full story at <A href="http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/windfarm9.htm">http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/windfarm9.htm</A></P><P>I've got mixed feelings. It certainly would seem to stifle a prime fishing spot, would be visible from shore, but would&nbsp;be a clean source of juice for an area with some of the highest electricity rates in the country.</P><P>dcc</P>

[fishbuster1]

Sounds like the stupidist idea I have ever heard of. First off, few if any wind farms have been successful. Second, have these people concidered the effects of such an environment on the equipment itself. This seems foolish.

[BobG]

i'm not certain this is not a bad idea.
if there is one thing cape cod was in abundance, it is WIND!
would all these windmills ruin horseshoe...
or, would all the windmills create "structure" which would hold bait, and therefore enhance the fishing there?
i don't know.

my biggest concern would be, just how well financed the people are who are behind this project.
if it doesn't work, would they(wind towers) be removed, or simply abandoned?
could they withstand a cat 4-5 hurricane?
could the owners financially withstand years of losses, before finally rolled in?

actually, i bird hunt in central ma quite a bit. there s a small wind farm located on or about mt wachusett. it can be seen for miles away. not a big deal. but this is in central ma. they don't get fog, haze, and sea smoke there.
if located on horseshoe, i don't think anyone would even notice after a couple of seasons.

[David Churbuck]

<P>I sort of agree with Bob but am also worried about durabilty in a 1938 level hurricane. Disruption of the bottom and hence disruption of fishing, but on the other hand, structure is structure. I'll predict it goes nowhere slowly.</P>
<P>dcc</P>

[catfish]

I doubt that the people proposing this have concidered the effects of a salt environment on the equipment. It doesn't seem very practicle to me.

[Bob Parsons]

As the cost of electricity rises and as demand
increases, ideas like this become more viable.

[David Churbuck]

A friend of mine was interviewed on Loop Beach yesterday -- Tuesday -- by Fox News. He was fishing for blues and teed off on the concept, saying it would be a navigational disaster, trash a prime piece of fishing structure, and be an all out eye-sore. It should air tonight (Wed.)