Could Hurricanes Wreck $700m Offshore Wind Farms In U.S.?

Threat: Academic experts in Pennsylvania say half of the turbines at four proposed offshore wind farms in the U.S. are likely to be destroyed by hurricanes in their 20-year life. A wind farm in Sweden is pictured

Could Hurricanes Wreck $700m Offshore Wind Farms In U.S.? Experts Predict HALF Of Proposed Turbines Will Be Ruined In 20 Years -- Daily Mail

* Pittsburgh researchers' study follows up on U.S. energy report in 2008
* Energy officials want wind farms to generate 20% of electricity by 2013
* Plans for farms in Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina & Texas
* Experts say current design can only withstand Category 3 hurricanes
U.S. energy officials have set a bullish target for wind farms to generate one fifth of the country’s electricity by 2030 - but Mother Nature certainly isn’t going to make it easy.

Academic experts at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, say half of the turbines at four proposed offshore wind farms are likely to be destroyed by hurricanes in their 20-year life.

The proposed wind farms at Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas could cost $175million each, but the researchers believe current designs of turbines mean many will not survive.

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My Comment: I could also make the case that sea water will corrode the windmills in a time period that could be even shorter than 20 years.