SLO County’s pie and the sky pipe dream

May 24, 2026

OPINION by ELLIE RIPLEY

This offshore wind endeavor is not a probability, but a highly difficult, costly, dangerous, experimental delusion. The plan involves installing over 350 wind turbines, each 1,000 feet tall, anchored 3,000 feet deep and located 20 to 30 miles off our Central Coast.

These proposed turbines would be twice as tall as the stacks used at the now retired gas fired plant in Morro Bay.

What’s behind all this is an opportunity to gain large financial profits from tax credits by taking a huge gamble that will interfere with and greatly change the lives of the people and wildlife who call this beautiful and historic coastal area home.

At this point the idea of this far offshore wind project situated in frighteningly deep waters is pure speculation: Which means without firm evidence and without considering dangerous risks.

Infrastructure for offshore wind is a highly intensive and costly process. Mining for raw materials, procuring construction materials, adding transporting all that is needed, plus maintenance and operation in every case all add up to a considerable number of emissions.  Also, the construction industry contributes greatly to CO2 during production and transportation.

Wind driven generation requires replacement of the turbine blades every 15 to 20 years or less as appears to be happening. These 1,000 foot tall blades weigh up to 500 tons each.

Conventional recycling techniques do not work on wind turbine blades. What will happen is another ugly part of this equation that is in time much of our open land will be covered for miles of broken offshore turbine blade trash.

When all materials have been delivered, when constriction is complete, an accounting of all the CO2 that was created even before all the emissions that will continue to be part of operations still adds up to the fact this endeavor creates more CO2 than any hopes this enormous nightmare could eliminate.

Ellie Ripley is an Arroyo Grande resident.