At a Maine Wind forum May 20, 2010 at the Rockport Opera House, locations  as varied as Ragged Mountain, Vinalhaven, Monhegan and waters 20 to 50 miles offshore were discussed. The key speaker University of Maine’s Habib Dagher, PhD, leader of the DeepCwind Consortium said that the conflicts over the siting and effects of land-based and nearshore windfarming on health, the pursuit of happiness and the natural environment  are serious and insoluble sources of social conflict.

Instead, Dagher told his audience, deepwater floating windstations 20 to 50 miles offshore will be much more powerful and reliable, and won’t harass their own consumers & wildlife with flicker, noise and infrasound.  The DeepCwind Consortium has received tens of million of dollars to lead the nation in deepwater offshore windpower R&D.   Listen to podcasts of he and other speakers and audience participants below.

Other topics at the forum: a plan for a windfarm on the Camden Hills’  Ragged Mountain, Island Institute on midwifing community wind on Vinalhaven and on its efforts to raise enthusiasm for onland windmills on Monhegan,   Swans Island and Frenchboro,Des Fitzgerald on his novel deepwater windturbine device and  more. A lively Q&A session, too!

Click Here for Part One of the forum (1 hr)  Introduction , Senator Chris Rector; Richard Podolsky environmental consultant; Susan Pude, Island Institute/Maine Community Wind

Click Here for Part 2 of the Forum: (45 minutes) Dr Dagher’s presentation on Monhegan and deepwater offshore windpower

Click Here For Part Three of the Forum ( 50 minutes) Des Fitzgerald, Ragged Mountain proposal; Question &  Answer session.  Scott Dickerson of MCHT -speaking on his own behalf (1 minute)  was not pleased by the Ragged Mtn windfarm plan; why not, he asked send the investment and talent toward  over-the-horizon offshore windpower.