Observations and Takeaways from the Vineyard Wind Blade Incident: An Unfortunate Episode for an Indispensable Energy Resource in the Northeast

Acadia Center has been monitoring the Vineyard Wind blade damage incident as it has unfolded off the coast of Nantucket over the last several weeks. We recognize and appreciate the impact that the incident has had on Nantucket residents and business owners, and wish to express the organization’s support to the response crews – both formal and informal – who continue to aid in the safe collection and removal of the resulting debris that came ashore.

The blade’s initial damage and subsequent breakdown in the ocean was an extremely unfortunate accident, and it comes at a challenging time for the nascent offshore wind industry in the United States. The underlying cause that led to the incident must be determined and remedied swiftly, and a full public accounting must be provided – recognizing that a complete diagnosis of the situation may take some time. Matters of health and safety are of paramount importance, and it is vital that the ongoing response efforts protect local communities, project workers, wildlife, ocean navigators, and others who stand to be directly affected. Measures must also be taken to avoid any chance of recurrence in the future, so offshore wind can continue forward in a sustainable and safe manner – and so that coastal communities can be reassured that this source of clean energy will not pose any safety or environmental threat.

More details continue to emerge about the underlying cause of the blade incident, with signs pointing to a manufacturing defect (e.g., inadequate fiberglass bonding) rather than damage sustained during installation. But even as the facts are still being gathered and an investigation remains underway, misinformation is already spreading online, with the images of a broken blade and fiberglass shards being manipulated via viral means, including by some that cheer the accident as a setback to offshore wind. This incident is a regrettable and newsworthy event, and we all must learn from it to strengthen the region’s offshore wind industry – with the many energy, environmental, and economic benefits it provides – while ensuring the safety and security of local communities. Nevertheless, a deliberative and purposeful approach must be taken as experts collectively diagnose, understand, and remedy this unfortunate episode.

Offshore wind is and will remain indispensable to meeting the Northeast’s energy needs and to the nation’s future. Offshore wind fills a crucial role in fighting to prevent the worst human and environmental impacts of a warming climate. It is also among the most cost-effective options the Northeast has at its disposal to deliver energy reliably during the winter, reducing the use of fossil fuels for power generation and providing clean electrons needed to keep families and businesses warm. Virtually all major studies examining the region’s changing energy mix forecast a major reliance on offshore wind, with 20 to 40+ gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind installed by 2050. By way of comparison, the power production capacity of all 400 of the region’s electric generating facilities is currently 29.7 GW. While offshore wind is relatively new in the United States, the industry is well established internationally, and incidents like this are very rare (although not unheard of). Actors across industry, government, and civil society have a role to play in ensuring this remains the case here in the U.S. as the industry continues to make inroads.

Everyone with a stake in the growth of offshore wind should learn from this incident. Acadia Center offers some observations and recommendations on steps that can be taken in the near future:

1. Establish and execute better, clearer communication protocols and lines of accountability during emergency response conditions: To keep communities, local officials, and the broader public better informed during unexpected incidents, project proponents must improve the timeliness, frequency, and level of detail of their communications. Establishing these protocols in advance and equipping local communities with designated emergency liaisons from the get-go are vital given the many different entities involved in situations such as this – from the project sponsor and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to the companies responsible for installation and continuous monitoring. Building trust requires bringing officials and the public into the circle of awareness as events unfold.
2. Strengthen and deepen low probability event planning in the federal permitting process for offshore energy resources (both clean and fossil): Currently, project proponents in offshore energy lease areas must follow an extensive application process governed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), housed within the Department of the Interior (DOI). Although these ‘construction and operations plan’ (COP) filings do contain some language on response activities for so-called ‘low probability events,’ those application materials must be strengthened considerably in light of the nature of this incident – which differs fundamentally from the existing focus on rare events like vessel collisions and allisions, fuel spills, and other accidental releases of liquids from construction equipment.
3. Consider a centralized regional monitoring and response infrastructure, right-sized for the need: For offshore wind, a centralized apparatus for the region as a whole, or at least coastal states, might be better suited to monitor conditions and coordinate response activities during rare events such as this. The Vineyard Wind incident happened to be a Massachusetts project (in federal waters) that primarily affected Massachusetts communities, but this may not always be the case. While a blade break of this nature will hopefully remain extremely rare or may never occur again in the region, some degree of multi-state or regional coordination on basic monitoring and emergency management activities would seem prudent, given the multi-gigawatt build-out that the region will need to see. Perhaps, there may already be readily available infrastructure to better make use of – for instance, via existing U.S. Coast Guard installations or NOAA offices in the region.
4. Leverage the region’s R&D/engineering prowess to drive safety with innovation: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was an early pioneer in turbine blade testing and safety through the investments made at MassCEC’s Charlestown Wind Technology Testing Center (WTTC). As the root cause analysis is completed and lessons are learned, those learnings should be directly incorporated into the ongoing testing activities at the WTTC and other similar facilities. Other centers of applied offshore wind R&D around the region – including the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium (NOWRDC), operated out of New York State – can and should also double down on their focus on safety and accident-prevention for the technologies the region will install in the decades ahead (see, e.g., an NOWRDC investment for a project verifying blade integrity during manufacture). Across the board, more of this work must be done, and the region should put its collective institutions and brain power to work to bring forward new engineering solutions that improve safety, reduce risk, and bolster resilience.