A planned wind farm off the Nantasket Beach in Hull, which would comprise four or five wind turbines that could produce enough electricity to power the entire town, seems to be unfeasible. According to the latest report, conducted by Al Pereira and presented to the town officials, this project would be too expensive and its revenue too little.
Estimated cost of this offshore wind farm is around USD 105 million. The report said that this could not pay off, as the energy market revenues decrease and the price of construction of offshore wind farms is increasing.
The study period of the report is 2016-2035. Revenues and costs were studied under different capacity factors, while environmental impacts were not examined.
Patrick Cannon, chairman of the Hull Municipal Light Plant’s board of commissioners, is quoted by the Patriot Ledger news site as saying that the town would not be able to build the offshore wind farm.
The report was presented in October and the light board is scheduled to decide on the project in January, after they examine the report’s findings.
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Offshore WIND Staff, November 19, 2012; Image: Town of Hull