NIMB… Lake? Opposition To Offshore Wind Farms In Lake Erie

Given their massive size and a variety of concerns around noise (even though there’s no evidence that the noise from wind turbines leads to adverse health effects) and the safety of birds and bats (though there are ongoing attempts to create “bird-proof” turbines), it’s hardly surprising that wind farms still get a tough rap. Even though truly “backyard” wind generation is still a ways off, residents are still uncomfortable with turbines anywhere nearby.

But now, residents in Ontario are exhibiting an entirely new brand of NIMBYism. What’s different about this latest round of complaints is that the wind farm in question would be as far away from any literal backyards as a development can get: smack dab in the middle of the world’s 13th largest lake, Lake Eerie. As reported by The Detroit News, some residents in the communities surrounding Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie oppose the proposed development by SouthPoint Wind, which would produce up to 1,400 megawatts of electricity. As with many NIMBY protests, residents are worried that the turbines could reduce property values by cluttering the landscape, and that these farms could damage surrounding wildlife.

The issue of the appearance of the hundreds of wind turbines is further complicated by the fact that Lake Eerie lies on the US-Canadian border, meaning that development on either side would be visible to both. Just like the wind that would power these turbines, nobody has jurisdictional authority on the horizon.

And SouthPoint isn’t the only energy producer eyeing the Great Lakes as a source of wind energy. NorTech, an American company, developed “the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo), a regional nonprofit organization responsible for accelerating offshore wind deployment in Lake Erie.” In fact, the LEEDCo recently announced a partnership with GE that would see turbines supplied to a 20 MW offshore project, targeted for late 2012.

As far as offshore wind development goes, the objections of a sailing club and lakeside property owners is fairly minor when compared to the massive logistical difficulties that ocean-based farms have had to contend with. Rough seas, high costs and transporting maintenance workers over large expanses of water are just a few of the hurdles that other developments have faced. Still, even when there are barely any people around, the human factor in energy development can often be the most important one of all.

Via Tree Hugger