Offshore Wind Wire

Three Massachusetts gubernatorial candidates criticized the Cape Wind offshore wind project yesterday while incumbent Gov. Deval Patrick defended the effort, the Boston Globe reported.

Republican Charles Baker said that Cape Wind got “a sweetheart deal’’ from the state, according to the Globe. Green-Rainbow Party candidate Jill Stein said there was a lack of transparency in the power purchase agreement and Independent Timothy Cahill said higher price of electricity would “make our state less competitive,’’ the paper reported.

Patrick rejected the accusations of favoritism, saying that “Cape Wind has been treated like any other’’ energy project.  The governor was also asked if the offshore wind farm — which has been in the permitting process for almost 10 years — is being pushed through too quickly.

“It’s amazing, only in Massachusetts would a project that has taken 10 years be seen as rushed,’’ Patrick said, according to the Globe.

Scandia Still Plans Lake Michigan Wind Farm

Scandia Wind is still planning to develop an offshore wind farm on Lake Michigan despite recent opposition from several counties, the Ludington Daily News reported last weekend.

Oceana and Mason counties voted recently against plans to study wind farms off their coasts.  Scandia Wind CEO Steve Warner said he will concentrate on developing a 500 megawatt wind farm off the shores of Muskegon and Ottawa counties, the Daily News reported.