How well are the Block Island Wind turbines operating?
At a Glance:
You may be wondering this because on a clear day when you can see the Block Island Wind turbines from the Rhode Island coast, you may have noticed that one or more of the five are not turning. The short answer is that, in the five of the six years they have been operating, they have done even better than promised. Alex Kuffner, environment reporter for Providence Journal, provided this answer which you can learn more about in the Deeper Dive.
A Deeper Dive:
Seeing one or more turbines not turning would naturally make you wonder if something is amiss and even speculate about how well the new turbines being built off the coast will work. Fortunately, Alex Kuffner, environmental reporter for the Providence Journal, has looked into this question for us. His report is based on examination of filings with state utilities regulators and communications with Orsted, the owner of the wind farm. Kuffner found that any problems with the turbines “have been temporary and minor and had a small impact on power generation relative to the six full years of production since the wind farm went into operation at the end of 2016.” In fact, they have produced more than the promised power output in five of the six years they have been operating. That sixth year was 2021, when the turbines were shut down for maintenance to inspect for a potential problem reported by the turbine manufacturer. In fact, there was no problem. This summer, one turbine will not be spinning to allow for planned routine maintenance. Thank you Alex Kuffner for doing the research to answer this important question! The full article is here: