Block Island Sparks Groundbreaking Global Change: The Shift from Fossil Fuel to America's First Wind Farm
Block Island, Rhode Island is considered to be the perfect vacation destination, but for me it’s home. Having made frequent trips there to visit my grandparents and extended family members that live on the quaint island year-round, I have felt a strong connection to Block Island since I was child. To this day, the island’s serene landscape is etched into my mind and the connection that I feel to the island grows stronger with every new trip.
In December 2016, the island made history as the home of the first offshore wind farm in the U.S. When I first heard the production of Block Island’s wind farm had been approved, I was thrilled. Deepwater Wind, an offshore energy development company, announced plans to establish a wind farm in Block Island and to implement technology that converts strong ocean wind power into clean, cost-efficient electricity. The wind farm would not only benefit the community but reduce Block Island’s fossil fuel emissions.
The Taxing Toll of Diesel Fuel
Before the construction of the Block Island Wind Farm, the Block Island Power Company relied on diesel generators to supply around 1,800 customers with electrical energy.
“From an environmental standpoint, offshore wind power is an eco-friendly alternative to diesel generators. Diesel generators emit greenhouse gases, polluting the island’s air and groundwater. ”
In 2008, Block Island’s electric rates were the second-highest in the country. The high cost of fuel to power the five diesel generators increased the electric rate to 61 cents per kilowatt-hour for residential customers who additionally pay a customer charge of $12.38 a month and burned over 1 million gallons of fuel every year. Local businesses and residents were enraged by the costly electricity rates.
According to the Block Island Times, the island’s local independent newspaper, local business owner Frank DiBiase of the Spring House Hotel, a famous establishment on the island, protested against high energy cost, stating, “without curing the energy issue there won’t be a tow in 10 years cause no business can afford it.”
It was clear that Block Island’s electric power system needed reform.
From an environmental standpoint, offshore wind power is an eco-friendly alternative to diesel generators. Diesel generators emit greenhouse gases, polluting the island's air and groundwater.
Within the year, Rhode Island’s governor at the time, Donald Carcieri, selected Deepwater Wind to develop the privately financed $1.5 billion offshore wind project. The commission of the project began in December 2016, when Deepwater Wind released the operation plan to build a 30 megawatt, five turbine wind farm in the waters about three miles off the southeast side of Block Island, a decision that sparked international discourse about the development of offshore wind technology in the U.S.
Off-shore wind farming: a more cost effective and sustainable alternative?
Deepwater Wind gallantly claimed in a Tweet that the wind turbines would reduce Block Island’s electric rates by an estimated 40 percent.
The installation of sea2shore cable in conjunction with the production of the wind farm fortified this claim. Sea2shore - an underwater transmission cable that is owned and operated by National Grid - connects electricity produced by the Block Island wind farm to Rhode Island’s statewide electric grid, which will provide electricity to the island's residents and homeowners. The sea2shore cable authorizes the Block Island Power Company to purchase electricity from the New England power network at significantly lower costs.
Uncertain of Deepwater Wind’s claims, I reviewed the company’s operation plan, noticing that it was prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc. Unaware of the purpose of this company, I looked up the company to confirm its reliability.
I discovered that Tetra Tech is a leading consulting and engineering service that delivers sustainable solutions to government and commercial clients. Reading about the services Tetra Tech, Inc. provides validated that Deepwater Wind strategically had planned the production of the turbine project, the cost-efficient electric rates produced by wind turbines, and precautionary environmental measures pursued before going forward with the project.
As I briefly mentioned, precautionary environmental measures were taken before Deepwater could proceed with the wind farm project. Deepwater Wind partnered with environmental advocates, conservationists, and scientists to protect endangered marine life during pre-construction and the construction of their projects. As shown in the Block Island Wind Farm and Block Island Transmission System Environmental Report / Construction and Operations Plan, preliminary environmental obstacles were cleared with National Grid to ensure responsible development of the project and protecting Block Island’s natural habitat.
Overcoming ‘Local’ and ‘Global’ Biases to Protect the Future of Block Island
Although I support offshore wind power projects, there are complications associated with offshore wind power I need to acknowledge. As a young, middle-class, white woman growing up in Block Island, Rhode Island, surrounded by serene beauty, I recognize that my impression of the area has been formed by my positive experiences attaching me to the conservation of the island.
There were setbacks before the construction of Block Island’s wind farm. Many of the residents who live on the island year-round were worried the wind turbines would be too close to the coastline, obstructing the picture-perfect view and reducing tourism. Many were also skeptical about Deepwater Wind’s utility rate savings claims. I interviewed Donald Littlefield, an 84-year-old resident who has lived on Block Island for decades.
When asked his opinion about the wind farm before its construction, he responded, “I was in support of the Block Island wind farm. At my age, I am excited to see Block Island implement an energy system that uses renewable energy, and I do not think our current energy system relying on diesel generators is sustainable.”
Littlefield did not convey concerns about the wind farm obstructing the Island’s picture-perfect view. Notably, worries about how the wind farm will affect tourism have been challenged by researchers from the University of Rhode Island. Examining AirBnB rental data before and after the construction of the Block Island Wind Farm, the researchers found that the wind turbines have been linked with increased tourism on Block Island.
Another factor that complicates the issue of off-shore wind farming is the potential effect on marine animals and birds. While this is a valid concern, the limited research conducted into the subject leaves no room for alarm. Prior to the construction of the Block Island Wind Farm, Dr. Tony Fox, a professor of wetland ecology at the National Environmental Research Institute in Denmark, spoke at The Rhode Island Natural History Survey 13th annual Conference. He discussed his research collecting bird data near Horns Rev farm—the world’s first two largest offshore wind farms located off the coast of Denmark. He collected data for three years before and after the Danish wind farm was built. Dr. Fox found that wind farms do not pose any harmful biological effects for birds.
Since the establishment of the Block Island Wind Farm, it has been utilized to collect data and information on the environmental impacts of offshore wind turbines. Kaytee Canfield, a marine affairs Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rhode Island, Wildlife Ecology researcher Dr. Peter Paton, and Nature Conservancy specialists conclude there has been a minimal negative impact from the wind farm on birds and marine life.
Winning the World We Need—Naomi Klein’s Illuminating Perspective
In her book No Is Not Enough, Naomi Klein depicts neoliberalism as an extreme form of capitalism based on the profitable ideology that market regulation is wrong and the market is always correct. This logic promotes the privatization of the public sphere and deregulation of the corporate sphere. Demonstrating how governments join hands with corporations to push the neoliberal agenda, Klein elaborates how ExxonMobil and the Trump administration pushed for the expansion of the fossil fuel industry, despite ExxonMobil having access to cutting edge empirical research showing the devastating effects of climate change. Additionally, the Trump administration has ended programs that required oil and gas companies to report how much methane (a greenhouse gas) their operations were releasing, and the White House website was "cleansed of references to climate change."
“Klein encourages challenging the government’s political agenda, demanding environmental investments in the public sphere such as new energy grids, more energy efficiency, and local green industries to rebel against the behavior of corporations that are destroying the environment. ”
Klein asserts that “under the reckless neoliberal worldview, governments exist in order to create the optimal conditions for private interests to maximize their profits and wealth.” This world view is based on theories of trickle down economics that contends that profits translated into growth will trickle down from the top to the bottom. Neoliberalism also creates expanding inequalities that fail to promote the public sphere's well-being and ignore the severity of the climate change crisis.
Klein encourages challenging the government's political agenda, demanding environmental investments in the public sphere such as new energy grids, more energy efficiency, and local green industries to rebel against the behavior of corporations that are destroying the environment.
The Global-Local Continuum from the Block Island Wind Farm
Energy reparations are significantly more advanced in Europe than in the United States. WindEurope’s global technological developments have contributed to cost reduction, resulting in an upsurge of offshore wind projects. Europe’s consistent low-interest rates have influenced the average annual growth rate of investments in the offshore wind industry. Europe’s understanding of offshore wind power has enabled greater transparency to the critical risks of offshore wind development, which creates the opportunity for emerging progression of offshore wind power in the U.S. Wind Power models are an inspiring form of the kind of large-scale green energy transition that Klein advocates. The concept of “energy democracy” has the potential to change our country in a fundamental way, making it cleaner through the turn toward community-controlled energy.
“Politicians have a major role to play in driving the climate change agenda and making sure that we are not just paying lip service to protect the environment. Surviving what is to come requires us to leap forward and start thinking of transitioning from the carbon economy to a green economy, investing in climate adaptation, and making major shifts in our consumption patterns. ”
Block Island made history being the nation’s first offshore wind farm. This unique energy system embodies Klein’s hope of achieving community-controlled energy. I claim the concept of community-controlled energy promotes forward-looking models in the U.S., such as wind turbines challenging the dominant corporate view that fossil fuel is America’s primary source of energy. Following the notion of community-controlled energy, the Town of New Shoreham purchased the Block Island Power Company and is currently in the process of transitioning to a Public Utility District. This means the revenues produced by the Block Island wind farm can be used to build the island’s social services, community centers, and public facilities. Additionally, Klein mentions that in Denmark, the wind turbines generate a surplus of power, which is then exported to Germany and Sweden. Block Island’s wind farm similarly transmits the excess of electricity generated by the turbines to Rhode Island.
Evidently, the constitution of Block Island’s wind farm has influenced the demand for renewable offshore wind-powered energy. In August 2019, Deepwater Winds announced plans for the commission of a 15-turbine offshore wind farm at the east end of Montauk point and a transmission system that will generate enough clean energy to power 70,000 average homes and offset tons of emissions each year. In addition to Montauk, wind farms will be installed off the shore of Maryland and New Jersey.
The construction of offshore wind farms along New England's coast is a start towards green energy independence, but there is more work to be done. People must challenge the government's policies and systematic structures that disregard the environment.
While action at the state level is praiseworthy, turning the tide in the race against climate change requires urgent and radical shifts at all levels, including and especially at the federal level. Politicians have a major role to play in driving the climate change agenda and making sure that we are not just paying lip service to protect the environment. Surviving what is to come requires us to leap forward and start thinking of transitioning from the carbon economy to a green economy, investing in climate adaptation, and making major shifts in our consumption patterns.
As a young person who is worried about the future, I know that this is going to be a major factor that I consider when casting my ballot in the next presidential election.