Bluewater Wind
Encyclopedia
Bluewater Wind is an energy company on the North Atlantic
Coast and in the Great Lakes
Region, developing offshore wind energy
projects. Bluewater's staff has experience in the wind, energy, environmental, finance, public policy
, and marine sectors. Bluewater Wind is part of the Babcock & Brown family of companies.
In response to public requests, Bluewater selects potential offshore locations, conducts environmental studies
and assesses wind resources. In addition, Bluewater selects contractors who plan connection to the grid and arrange for delivery of the energy to customers. Lastly, Bluewater secures financing early on in the development process to see the project through from concept to decommissioning.
For example, this level of public engagement led to the special scrutiny of one potential project site located in the Delaware Bay
during the summer of 2007. Local bird protection organizations were concerned about the impact that the wind turbines would have on the migratory pattern of the birds that fly over the Bay. The organizations provided adequate evidence of their concerns and explained to Bluewater project management
the real costs involved with this potential site. Bluewater listened, and as a result, ceased developments for that specific project site. To this day, Bluewater maintains relationships with those organizations, and together they help to minimize the environmental impact of the projects.
A University of Delaware
survey was conducted on Delaware beaches around the same time that Bluewater initiated the company's project developments; the survey sought to determine public acceptance of offshore wind power among specific Delaware beach communities. The survey boasted a 90%+ response rate
and indicated overwhelming support for the technology. Proponents highlighted the benefits of long-term rate price stability
along with the improvements in the quality of air and water resulting from the electricity derived from a clean energy source.
Bluewater's projects are designed to have minimal - if any - effect on the viewshed of the area surrounding the project site. To that end, the company chooses to place projects no closer than 10 miles from shore. Taking into account the curvature of the earth
and other ambient air factors, this location has proven to be optimal for both resource capture and social acceptance.
for the company's North Atlantic Coast projects. As such, Bluewater is currently executing projects in Delaware, New York
, New Jersey, Rhode Island
and has begun expanding project development opportunities into the Great Lakes.
The Delaware project is located in the same area as the Atlantic Wind Connection
proposed by Google
and others.
Wind Power Politics, New York Times Magazine; Sept 12, 08
First Offshore Wind Leases Issued, New York Times June 23, 09
Chasing the Wind, Boston Globe July 20, 09
Bluewater Wind Signs PPA for 200 MW of Offshore Wind Power
Legislature Clears the Way for Offshore Wind Farm, Sussex Countian July 2,08
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
Coast and in the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
Region, developing offshore wind energy
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
projects. Bluewater's staff has experience in the wind, energy, environmental, finance, public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
, and marine sectors. Bluewater Wind is part of the Babcock & Brown family of companies.
In response to public requests, Bluewater selects potential offshore locations, conducts environmental studies
Environmental studies
Environmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them...
and assesses wind resources. In addition, Bluewater selects contractors who plan connection to the grid and arrange for delivery of the energy to customers. Lastly, Bluewater secures financing early on in the development process to see the project through from concept to decommissioning.
The Bluewater Philosophy
Bluewater has demonstrated favorable public engagement approaches through a variety of project development policies and actions. Every new project endeavor begins with information transparency early on in project development, frequent discourse with local stakeholders and voluntary project modifications in response to public input. The company engages with local environmental, trade, union, community, and academic organizations in order to assess the needs and wants of the community; this allows the resulting projects to be congruent with the needs and expectations of the community members who will be directly involved and affected.For example, this level of public engagement led to the special scrutiny of one potential project site located in the Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
during the summer of 2007. Local bird protection organizations were concerned about the impact that the wind turbines would have on the migratory pattern of the birds that fly over the Bay. The organizations provided adequate evidence of their concerns and explained to Bluewater project management
Project management
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
the real costs involved with this potential site. Bluewater listened, and as a result, ceased developments for that specific project site. To this day, Bluewater maintains relationships with those organizations, and together they help to minimize the environmental impact of the projects.
A University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
survey was conducted on Delaware beaches around the same time that Bluewater initiated the company's project developments; the survey sought to determine public acceptance of offshore wind power among specific Delaware beach communities. The survey boasted a 90%+ response rate
Response rate
Response rate in survey research refers to the number of people who answered the survey divided by the number of people in the sample...
and indicated overwhelming support for the technology. Proponents highlighted the benefits of long-term rate price stability
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
along with the improvements in the quality of air and water resulting from the electricity derived from a clean energy source.
Bluewater's projects are designed to have minimal - if any - effect on the viewshed of the area surrounding the project site. To that end, the company chooses to place projects no closer than 10 miles from shore. Taking into account the curvature of the earth
Curvature
In mathematics, curvature refers to any of a number of loosely related concepts in different areas of geometry. Intuitively, curvature is the amount by which a geometric object deviates from being flat, or straight in the case of a line, but this is defined in different ways depending on the context...
and other ambient air factors, this location has proven to be optimal for both resource capture and social acceptance.
Projects
Bluewater Wind is the nation's leading offshore wind energy developer, with the only offshore wind energy Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) in the U.S. and two permits to install meteorological towers on the outer continental shelfContinental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
for the company's North Atlantic Coast projects. As such, Bluewater is currently executing projects in Delaware, New York
Delaware, New York
Delaware is a town in Sullivan County, New York, USA. The population was 2,719 at the 2000 census.The Town of Delaware is in the western part of the county.-Geography:...
, New Jersey, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and has begun expanding project development opportunities into the Great Lakes.
The Delaware project is located in the same area as the Atlantic Wind Connection
Atlantic Wind Connection
Atlantic Wind Connection is an electrical transmission backbone proposed by Trans-Elect Development Company that could be constructed starting in 2013 off the East Coast of the United States to service off-shore wind farms...
proposed by Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
and others.
See also
Bluewater Wind WebsiteWind Power Politics, New York Times Magazine; Sept 12, 08
First Offshore Wind Leases Issued, New York Times June 23, 09
Chasing the Wind, Boston Globe July 20, 09
Bluewater Wind Signs PPA for 200 MW of Offshore Wind Power
Legislature Clears the Way for Offshore Wind Farm, Sussex Countian July 2,08