LIPA Celebrates Five Year Anniversary; Recognized for Focus on Renewables

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LIPA Marks A Milestone , zwire, July 31, 2003 reports on LIPA's accomplishments during its five years in existence, including promoting use of renewable and alternative power (such as offshore wind):

LIPA is also exploring alternative-energy sources. It wants an energy company to build the Atlantic coast's first offshore wind farm, roughly three miles off Jones Beach. Thus far, the proposal has found support among many environmentalists and Merrick-Bellmore residents who don't want to see more power plants built because of the health and environmental risks they pose.
The wind farm, however, has raised the ire of open-space advocates who contend that the collection of windmills, which would rise 22 stories into the air, would destroy the view of the Atlantic from Jones Beach.
LIPA also recently oversaw construction of the world's largest commercial solar-energy installation, in Farmingdale. And at a handful of businesses, it has developed small geothermal projects, which use water trapped far below the surface to cool or heat a building.
Alternative-energy technology, however, is in its infancy, and is nowhere near capable of becoming the Island's main power supplier. The Farmingdale solar project, for example, is huge, but can only light the office building upon which it rests, or 1,000 homes.
The power authority has pursued construction of one or more underwater cables to supply the Island with electricity from the mainland, hoping they would reduce the need for power plants. Most notable among them is the cross-Sound cable, which has been built, but its use has been delayed so far by Connecticut lawmakers, who contend that the cable would unfairly siphon much-needed electricity from their state. The authority has also sought a cable or cables on the South Shore, but hasn't yet been able to finalize a deal.