Jessica Cejnar / Tuesday, Dec. 1 @ 5:51 p.m. Touting Potential Economic Benefits, Crescent City Harbor District Commissions Offshore Wind Energy Study
Harbor commissioners have commissioned a study focusing on offshore wind energy production in Del Norte County similar this Portugal project. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy
Though the Crescent City Harbor District will move forward with a study on the pluses and minuses of offshore wind energy production to Del Norte County, the decision wasnt unanimous.
When making the case for a $12,000 partnership with Humboldt State Universitys Schatz Energy Research Center to fund the study, commissioners Brian Stone and Wes White on Tuesday touted the potential economic benefits wind energy production could bring to the harbor.
The Crescent City Harbor District could house offices and maintenance facilities, berths for boats that would work on the offshore wind turbines as well as substations for pumping that electricity into the grid, they said.
However, their colleagues Carol White and Rick Shepherd, a commercial fisherman, said they were concerned about the environmental impacts those turbines would have on Del Norte County waters.
The Crescent City Harbor District Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of the Schatz Energy study. Carol White and Rick Shepherd dissented.
The ocean has been my workplace for the last 48 years, Shepherd said. To change it in the way youre talking about changing it, I couldnt vote for it. I know its going to happen. Its in the future. But its a sad day for me when I see something like that go on the ocean.
During his presentation, Wes White noted Californias goals to go to clean energy by 2045, the benefits of wind as a renewable energy source over solar and other offshore projects in Scotland, Portugal, Maine and Virginia.
Wes White argued that offshore wind energy would be a cheaper more reliable energy source for Del Norte County and could be used as an impetus to get high power usage companies to relocate to Crescent City.
We believe this study will shed light on the pluses and minuses of such a project offshore of Del Norte County, Wes White said, adding that he and Stone have researched the possibility of wind energy production in local waters. My sense is we need to be as knowledgeable as we can about this stuff because its going to happen somewhere offshore (in) California.
Stone noted that in the last two weeks California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order announcing that the state will end the sale of gasoline and diesel-powered cars by 2035. He also referred to potential wind energy development in Humboldt County, saying its something like five years out, maybe six years out.
We may be a little bit further down the road, but weve already spoken to investors and all of them have indicated with a 95 percent-plus certainty that this is the area where they want to locate, Stone said. What we need to do is understand whats going on. We need to have something in our hands so we can discuss how we manage whats going to happen.
Stone said that the potential for having a substation and other infrastructure supporting offshore wind energy projects at the harbor would help keep slip rates low for the fishing fleet and would help the keep the port in the black in the future.
I think this is seed money thats needed to keep us in the know and help us all understand what is possible, he said.
Following her colleagues presentation, Carol White said based on her research, land-based wind turbines have caused a lot of ecological damage, impacting animals as well as humans that live nearby.
Plus the last article I read said it cost up to four times more to put these out on the ocean as opposed to putting them on land, Carol White said. Im with Rick I dont think we should be messing with the ocean at this point, especially when fishermen are struggling to make ends meet.
Shepherd also brought up the land-based wind turbine projects, pointing out the negative impacts they have on bird populations. He drew a comparison with regulations developed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to reduce whale entanglements in crab gear following a 2017 lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity.
Those birds on the ocean are the ones we rely on to make our living, Shepherd said. Itll be OK for wind energy mills to slaughter millions of birds, but fishermen are getting shut down for a whale. I just really dislike the whole idea.
Commissioner Jim Ramsey, who sat in on his final meeting after choosing not to seek re-election, took a more neutral approach.
I am in favor of getting off of fossil fuel dependency, he said. Its a mess and its really destroying our environment.
Read the original post:
- Home | Discover Oil & Gas | Rigzone - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- Offshore - Wikipedia - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- EscapeArtist - Live, Work, Travel, Retire & Invest Overseas - December 15th, 2016 [December 15th, 2016]
- Offshore installation manager - Wikipedia - December 30th, 2016 [December 30th, 2016]
- Offshore Energy 17 - January 12th, 2017 [January 12th, 2017]
- Offshore Drilling and Exploration - The New York Times - February 2nd, 2017 [February 2nd, 2017]
- Offshore - novenco-marine.com.php56serv2.webhosting.dk - February 5th, 2017 [February 5th, 2017]
- Further decline in North Sea offshore supply work - BBC News - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Japan ignores protests, begins offshore construction work on ... - RT - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Offshore Drillers Are Still Seeking Recovery Enjoyed by Shale - Bloomberg - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Offshore Profits and US Exports - Council on Foreign Relations (blog) - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Diamond Offshore Surprises Everyone With a Fourth Quarter Earnings Gain - Madison.com - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Dems: Don't repeal offshore tax rules - The Hill - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Offshore Wind Moves Into Energy's Mainstream - New York Times - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Trump's Plan to Tap Offshore Profit for Infrastructure Gains an Ally - Bloomberg - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- China Regulator Urges Insurers to Avoid 'Reckless' Offshore ... - Insurance Journal - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Perriello comes out against pipeline and, in a shift, says he is skeptical of offshore drilling - Washington Post - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- AGL to head offshore amid limited growth options locally - The Sydney Morning Herald - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Should Diamond Offshore (DO) Stock Be in Your Portfolio? - Zacks.com - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Wind Overtakes Coal Power in Europe as Turbines Head Offshore - Bloomberg - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Cuba Eager to Develop Offshore Oil Reserves | OilPrice.com - OilPrice.com - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Eni starts production of East Hub Development Project, offshore Angola - Offshore Technology - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- 'Fifty Shades Darker' Unmasks $22M In Offshore Foreplay International Box Office - Deadline - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Statoil looks to Newfoundland offshore after selling off all oilsands assets - Globalnews.ca - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Coalition urged to charge 10% royalty on offshore oil and gas projects - The Guardian - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Israel Puts Off License Award In First Offshore Oil, Gas Bid Round - OilPrice.com - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Cost Impact of Immigration and Visa Reform to US Customers Using Offshore Services - Forbes - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- These Offshore Drilling Stocks Are Up Big as Earnings Season Starts - Fox Business - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Offshore projects help raise profile of wind power in US, Europe - WorkBoat (blog) - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Shares of Seadrill Went in the Exact Opposite Direction of Other Offshore Drillers in January - Motley Fool - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- After selling off all oilsands assets, Statoil looks to Newfoundland offshore - Calgary Herald - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Oil and Gas Stock Roundup: The Outlook for Offshore Drilling Continues to Dim - Fox Business - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Diamond Offshore Surprises Everyone With a Fourth Quarter ... - Motley Fool - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Diamond Offshore Is A Hold - Seeking Alpha - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Trudeau: Arctic offshore drilling too dangerous - The Independent Barents Observer - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Don't Overlook This Cost-Effective Alternative To Offshore Services - Forbes - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Legislation could mean an economic boost in New Bedford offshore wind projects - SouthCoastToday.com - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Ontario signals extension on offshore wind project moratorium - BNN - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Oil Majors' Plans - No Relief For Offshore Drillers - Seeking Alpha - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Director hits back at offshore worker blacklisting claims - BBC News - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- OPEC Report: Pressure On Offshore Drilling Remains - Seeking Alpha - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- UK Offshore Wind Construction Had Bumper Year In 2016, Barbour ABI - CleanTechnica - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Trump urged to back offshore - Offshore Wind | reNEWS ... - reNews - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Russian Spy Ship Spotted Offshore From Connecticut; Congressman Says Goal Is To Test US - CBS Local - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Australia Accused Of Committing Crimes Against Humanity In Offshore Detention Centres - BuzzFeed News - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- US Wind Secures Cabling Partner For MD Offshore Project - North American Windpower - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Professional Diversity Network: Offshore Investment Fund, Dropping ... - Seeking Alpha - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Vineyard Power vying for offshore wind farm - News - capecodtimes ... - Cape Cod Times (subscription) - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Liquidity Warnings Send Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc.'s Stock Plunging - Motley Fool - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Will Offshore Stymie Oil States? - Seeking Alpha - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Enbridge Partners with EnBW on 497-MW German Offshore Wind Project - Marketwired (press release) - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- JDR lands US offshore bounty - reNews - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Natural gas leaks from offshore pipeline in Alaska - Press Herald - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Halliburton's GRIP delivers rapid response to offshore source-control incidents - WorldOil (subscription) - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Model advances analysis of offshore BOP closure during extreme conditions - WorldOil (subscription) - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- IRS Cracks Down on Offshore Tax Cheats - CPAPracticeAdvisor.com - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Vineyard Power vying for offshore wind farm - Cape Cod Times (subscription) - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Offshore Yuan Exposed to Onshore Risks as Spread Narrows - DailyFX - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Offshore Somalia: East Africa's Oil Frontier - Midnimo Information Center - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Emas Offshore refinancing deal delayed - Splash 247 - Splash 247 - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- The Offshore Markets: 2016 In Review - Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Court Declines to Halt Long Island Offshore Wind Lease - RTO Insider - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Fuel the American economy with offshore energy - The Detroit News - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Congress says won't renew liquor licenses of offshore casinos in Goa - Times of India - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- An offshore deal for Indigenous people? - Policy Options (registration) - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Exclusive: Petronas considers $1 billion stake sale in offshore gas project - sources - Reuters - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- JDR wins US offshore wind farm work - OE Digital - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Offshore Drilling - 2 Floaters Needed In The Verbier Field And In The Partridge Prospect In UK North Sea - Seeking Alpha - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Rystad Energy Believes That Offshore Projects Are Becoming Competitive Again - Seeking Alpha - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- EnBW Hohe See 500 MW Offshore Wind Farm To Proceed With Siemens & Enbridge - CleanTechnica - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Offshore catering staff reject offer after phone ballot - BBC News - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Child abuse inquiry to hold limited public hearings into offshore ... - The Guardian - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Iberdrola Completes Installation Of First Turbine At 350 Megawatt ... - CleanTechnica - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Offshore drilling opponents re-gear for new round of battles | News ... - Charleston Post Courier - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Hornbeck Offshore Services: Too Many Problems Will Drag The Stock Further Down - Seeking Alpha - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- US grid can handle more offshore wind power, cutting pollution and power costs - Science Daily - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Fugro to conduct natural leakage survey in offshore Kenya ... - Offshore Technology - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Russia inks second Turkish Stream pipe offshore construction contract - New Europe - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Trump to seek jobs advice from firms that offshore US work - Reuters - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- W&T Offshore Expected to Reduce Net Losses in 4Q16 - Market Realist - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]