Cape Wind President Jim Gordon said, “By producing an average of 321 megawatts during these times of peak electricity demand, Cape Wind would have a meaningful impact on enhancing electric reliability, improving air quality, providing greater energy independence and lowering energy costs.”

Cape Wind’s Vice President of Engineering Len Fagan explained why Cape Wind’s production would be higher during these hot summer afternoons that set electricity demand records, “These tend to be the hottest summer days when the air over the land heats up faster than the air over the ocean, this creates a difference in air density and denser air over the ocean expands toward the land, this is called the sea breeze effect and you get it most during the afternoon when electric demand is highest.”

Days that experience record electric demand tend also to be days when air quality alerts are issued by environmental agencies and when wholesale spot market electricity prices are at their height because older, less-efficient, highly polluting and expensive backup power generators are operating. Taking advantage of the sea breeze cleanly provides electricity that would otherwise need to be provided by these high polluting and expensive sources during times of high demand.

Previously, the US Department of Energy reported that Cape Wind would have been at full production during almost the entire 3-day sub-zero cold snap in January, 2004 when electric grid managers were considering the need for a rolling blackout due to a shortage of natural gas available for electrical generation because of elevated demand for gas heat.

“These reports taken together demonstrate that Cape Wind would be providing substantial power when New England needs it the most, during the hottest and coldest days,” said Gordon.

Links:

July 2, 2007 Cape Wind Report, “Comparison of Cape Wind Scientific Data Tower Wind Speed Data with ISO New England List of Top Ten Electric Demand Days”:

http://www.capewind.org/downloads/CWReport.pdf

June 2004 U.S. Department of Energy White Paper, “Natural Gas in the New England Region: Implications for Offshore Wind Generation and Fuel Diversity”:
http://www.capewind.org/downloads/DOE_Wind_Analysis.pdf

Cape Wind’s proposal to build America’s first offshore wind farm on Horseshoe Shoal would provide three-quarters of the electricity used on Cape Cod and the Islands from clean, renewable energy - reducing this region’s need to import oil, coal and gas. Cape Wind will create new jobs, lower electric costs, contribute to a healthier environment, increase energy independence and establish Massachusetts as a leader in offshore wind power. For more information visit www.capewind.org.

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