Cape Wind will be America’s first offshore wind farm, on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound. Miles from the nearest shore, 130 wind turbines will gracefully harness the wind to produce up to 420 megawatts of clean, renewable energy.  In average winds, Cape Wind will provide three quarters of the Cape and Islands electricity needs.

Cleaner Air

Our health and environment are negatively impacted by fossil fuel burning. The American Lung Association reports that Cape Cod has the worst air quality in Massachusetts. Cape Wind will contribute to improved air quality by reducing air pollution emissions in New England. Cape Wind will also

reduce global warming greenhouse gas emissions by 734,000 tons per year. Global warming contributes to rising sea levels and more frequent storms that erode our beaches and cause coastal property damage. Global warming and climate change presents the greatest threat to birds and sea life and their habitat.


Energy Independence

Since 1973, America has transferred over seven trillion dollars of its wealth to OPEC countries. Our dependence on foreign energy leaves our economy and national security at risk. By harnessing our local wind resources, we can contribute to reducing our dependence on imported energy. Cape Wind will provide clean, renewable energy capable of replacing 113 million gallons of oil per year.

Jobs and the Economy

Cape Wind will establish Cape Cod and Massachusetts as a world-wide leader in offshore renewable energy technology. Cape Wind will create up to a thousand jobs in assembly and ocean construction, boosting our local economy and creating 150 permanent jobs thereafter, including 50 highly paid maintenance and operations jobs based on Cape Cod.  Cape Wind will also create spinoff jobs on Cape Cod.  Hy-Line Cruises will be the official Eco-Tour provider and they will commission a vessel for that purpose.  Hy-Line Cruises will also be working with Cape Wind to build a Cape Wind Visitors Center on their property overlooking Hyannis Harbor.  Because of Cape Wind an offshore wind power 'cluster' is forming with Siemens Wind Power, E2 Engineering, Sgurr Energy and Global Marine Energy all opening offices in Massachusetts.  Meanwhile, the historic City of New Bedford, working closely with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is planning to build a multi-purpose Marine Commerce Terminal that will be the first facility of its kind on North America specifically designed for the staging and assembly of offshore wind turbines.

Navigation

The wind turbines will be spaced six to nine football fields apart, allowing plenty of navigational room for shallow draft boats that pass through or fish Horseshoe Shoal. Cape Wind has been endorsed by the Maritime Trades Council and the Seafarers International Union, the largest fleet of commercial fishermen in New England.

Environmental Permitting Review

Cape Wind is fully permitted after having undergone a comprehensive environmental permitting process by seventeen federal and state agencies, under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act. Cape Wind is also the first U.S. offshore wind project to have received a commercial lease from the U.S. Department of Interior.  The project has gained the support of national and regional environmental, health, labor and citizens advocacy groups.  Click here to see a complete list of project supporters.

Energy Costs

The Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities both concluded that Cape Wind would reduce wholesale electric market clearing costs through 'price suprression'. This 'price suppression' effect from wind power has been documented in Europe and in Texas. Charles River Associates estimates that Cape Wind will reduce wholesale electric market prices in New England by over $4 Billion dollars over the 25 year operating life of the facility, in a 2010 study. Cape Wind also provides long term price stability and price predictability compared with the intense price volatility of fossil fuels.

Company History

Energy Management Inc. (EMI) is the developer of Cape Wind. EMI is a Massachusetts based energy company with a 35-year history of engineering, developing and constructing energy conservation projects and environmentally friendly electric generation facilities. The company has a proven track record in lowering energy costs, reducing pollution emissions, increasing energy independence, and creating jobs.