Making Waves 2016 Making Waves Summer Spring 2021
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Wind Farms Coming to the Gulf of Maine By Capt. Barry Gibson RFA New England Director
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he Gulf of Maine has largely escaped the en- the town of East Boothbay due to its proximity to croachment of wind farms, but that’s on the power grid. track to change and change quickly. A “demonstration” or “experimental” (depending on The project is still seeking formal permits, which are expected by the end who you talk to) single of March, with turbine floating wind turbine construction and cable has already been sited work beginning this in Maine state waters summer and the turbine surrounding Monhegan scheduled to be towed Island, which lies 12 out to sea in 2023, said miles east of the MidDiamond Offshore Wind coast’s Pemaquid Neck. CEO Chris Wissemann at The project is headed a virtual public hearing up by New England Aqin Boothbay on February ua Ventus (NEAV), a 26th. joint venture of Diamond Offshore Wind (a Fishermen, particularly Mitsubishi company), lobstermen and scallopGerman utility giant ers, have a number of RWE Renewables, and concerns including the University of Maine. preemption of the botThe project scored tom where they routine$39.9 million in U.S. ly fish, the effects of the Dept. of Energy R&D cable’s electromagnetic funds, and is expected field on lobsters and to cost around $100 miltheir migration patterns, lion. and the effects on fish and other sea life. One The 700-foot-tall tower particularly concerning would be mounted on issue is the disturbing of floats made of concrete Approximate size of floating turbines the bottom sediment in and anchored to the and around East bottom. It is expected to proposed for Gulf of Maine waters. Boothbay where the cagenerate 9.5 to 12 megble will come ashore, awatts of electricity, with a six-inch diameter exit which lies inside the mouth of the Damarsicotta cable that would run 20 miles from the turbine to River. East Boothbay shipyards have been operat-
