ALL ABOUT NO CAROLINA OCEAN WIND

North Carolina Offshore Wind: The Risks, Rewards And Recommendations
Laura DiMugno, 23 February 2012 (North American Windpower)

"…North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue released a comprehensive study on the state's potential for offshore energy, including the pros and cons of developing offshore wind power…North Carolina has the best offshore wind resource on the U.S. East Coast, accounting for 26% of the total [less than 30 meters] East Coast resource...[I]f the entire resource were to be developed with a 42% average capacity factor, it would meet the annual electricity demand of every coastal state from Florida to Maine…

"...That estimate, however, does not take into account how much of that area can be developed, nor does it consider the many hurdles to developing wind power off North Carolina’s coast...[T]here are 506 developable federal lease blocks off the North Carolina continental shelf in waters with depths of less than 40 meters…[amounting] to 4,554 square miles available for wind power development…[N] o endangered avian species would be affected by the addition of offshore wind turbines, the study says…[O]ther species…that live in the potential development zones are listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, and could be affected [but could also benefit]…"

click to enlarge

"…[R]ed tape burdens North Carolina’s potential for offshore wind development…[Another] major barrier to offshore wind development in North Carolina is the lack of adequate transmission to bring the energy produced by the generation facilities to end users…Not taking into account the necessary transmission upgrades, however, North Carolina is the cheapest state in the nation in which to develop offshore wind energy, with costs estimated to be between 20% and 25% lower than in other East Coast states…Developing offshore wind farms would also benefit the state by adding job opportunities…workforce development programs for the wind energy supply chain…[and] revenue obtained from offshore wind leases and wind-related tourism…North Carolina’s investor-owned utilities…[may not be able to meet the mandated 12.5% renewables by 2021] without offshore wind power…

"…[The governor’s panel made several recommendations for offshore wind development…North Carolina should streamline its regulatory procedures…facilitate the development of the transmission infrastructure…attract to North Carolina a wide range of supply-chain facilities and jobs associated with the emerging wind energy industry…[and] create a program for research and data collection…[A]lthough there are still major challenges in the development of offshore wind farms off the North Carolina coast, the rewards trump the risks…"