The ambitious 20.7-megawatt Icebreaker project, poised to establish North America's inaugural freshwater offshore wind farm in Lake Erie, has encountered a temporary pause. The setback is attributed to elevated interest rates and surging material costs, prompting the project's developer, Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo), to assess options for its future progression.
In a statement released on Friday, LEEDCo acknowledged the need for a pause due to a combination of adverse circumstances and numerous delays, creating a financial climate that questions the project's commercial viability. Will Friedman, a LEEDCo board member and President/CEO of the Port of Cleveland, clarified the decision, stating, “This pause is necessitated by a confluence of adverse circumstances and numerous delays resulting in a financial climate where the project's commercial viability is in question.”
The Icebreaker project, conceptualized in 2009, envisages the installation of six MHI Vestas 3.45-megawatt turbines approximately eight miles off the coast of downtown Cleveland. Despite overcoming legal and regulatory hurdles and securing a building permit in August, the endeavor faced a significant obstacle from the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB). The OPSB mandated a condition requiring the wind farm to cease operations during nighttime hours between March 1 and November 1 annually to protect birds and bats. Although LEEDCo successfully appealed this specific condition, the resulting delays cast shadows over the project's prospects.
Originally projected to inject over USD 253 million (EUR 234.9 million) into the regional economy, the protracted timeline has led to the termination of a funding award from the Department of Energy. LEEDCo remains committed to exploring alternatives that could revive the Icebreaker project in the future, underlining the importance of overcoming existing challenges to harness the potential of freshwater offshore wind energy in the region.
