Massachusetts and Rhode Island Announce Offshore Wind Farms; Brazil Complains About the Noise

Countries are finding that offshore wind is not only expensive, but noisy too. Brazil, the world's eighth largest producer of wind power, has erected wind turbines off its Atlantic coast where the wind blows consistently and the noise is constant. Recently, officials in Massachusetts and Rhode Island announced contracts for two large offshore wind farms off Martha's Vineyard. Massachusetts is planning to build an 800-megawatt wind farm with over 100 turbines about 15 miles south of the Vineyard. And Rhode Island officials plan to build a 400-megawatt wind farm northwest of the Vineyard Wind project that is planned by Massachusetts. The wind developers are rushing the projects to benefit from a federal tax credit for offshore wind projects before it expires in 2020. As with other offshore wind projects, fishermen are wary of the detrimental impacts that the wind turbines, the associated subsurface cables and the subsequent noise will have on their livelihood.