“Broken Blades, Angry Fishermen and Rising Costs Slow Offshore Wind" Article Reflection No. 112 (9/29/2024)

Article: “Broken Blades, Angry Fishermen and Rising Costs Slow Offshore Wind” 

Reflection: In The New York Times article “Broken Blades, Angry Fishermen and Rising Costs Slow Offshore Wind,” journalists Ivan Penn and Stanley Reed discuss offshore wind farms and specifically the wind turbine blade that fell near Massachusetts from the Vineyard Wind 1 project. The article details how offshore wind is a relatively novel technology that has faced many delays due to the prolonged time taken for permits, disapproval from nearby communities including fishermen, and the financial costs. With the wind turbine blade’s collapse, people are worried for safety, according to the article. 

New developments have a very wide range of costs versus benefits. Making sure one knows the difference between these more novel sources of renewable energy is so important because it can help people make more informed decisions upon investing in these offshore companies. If the collapse of the wind turbine blade undermines the public’s trust, how long will it take to regain trust until the public has the same level of trust as before the collapse? How would that vary for the fishermen? I hope to open the discussion about this topic through an article I am currently writing for my school newspaper.