Ecological and economic cost-benefit analysis of offshore wind energy
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2009
Abstract
Wind energy has experienced dramatic growth over the past decade. A small fraction of this growth has occurred offshore, but as the best wind resources become developed onshore, there is increasing interest in the development of offshore winds. Like any form of power production, offshore wind energy has both positive and negative impacts. The potential negative impacts have stimulated a great deal of opposition to the first offshore wind power proposals in the U.S. and have delayed the development of the first offshore wind farm in the U.S. Here we discuss the costs and benefits of offshore wind relative to onshore wind power and conventional electricity production. We review cost estimates for offshore wind power and compare these to estimates for onshore wind and conventional power. We develop empirical cost functions for offshore wind based on publicly reported projects from 2000 to 2008, and describe the limitations of the analysis. We use this analysis to inform a discussion of the tradeoffs between conventional, onshore and offshore wind energy usage. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Renewable Energy
First Page
1567
Last Page
1578
Recommended Citation
Snyder, B., & Kaiser, M. (2009). Ecological and economic cost-benefit analysis of offshore wind energy. Renewable Energy, 34 (6), 1567-1578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2008.11.015