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The University of North Carolina conducted a 10-month study on the viability of installing wind turbines off the coast of N.C.
Offshore wind energy is one step closer to becoming a reality for the U.S. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) conducted a 10-month study, upon the request of the North Carolina General Assembly, on the viability of installing wind turbines off the coast of N.C. The study focused on the analysis of spatial distribution of available wind power, environmental risks, compatibility with ocean bottom geology, carbon reduction potential and other sustainable turbine factors. The study was completed in June and concluded that while there are many offshore areas unfavorable to wind energy, there are state-owned areas that look promising.
However, at the conclusion of the study, existing state law presented significant legal barriers to development in state waters. With the help of Amy Fulk, chief of staff for Senator Marc Basnight (D-N.C.), new legislation was passed which aided UNC’s wind project. Under the money received by the federal government for the Reinvestment Act 2009, the state of North Carolina allocated $300,000 to UNC to continue the study. However, N.C. stipulated that UNC had to find a third-party participant to purchase and install up to three demonstration turbines in sounds or off North Carolina’s coast by September 1, 2010.
“UNC gave all energy companies the opportunity to participate in the study. After learning about the project, we expressed an interest and in the end UNC selected us as its partner,” says Tim Pettit, spokesperson for Duke Energy. “Duke has experience developing land-based wind in other parts of the country, such as Colorado, Wyoming and Texas, but we were excited to be moving in the offshore direction. With the commitment to have 12.5 percent of our energy come from renewable energy by 2020, the U.S. has to get serious, and for North Carolina that means going costal.”
The next phase of the study will be take place in Palmico Sound, located between North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the mainland. The Sound was chosen above areas with more wind further offshore because it is the only area with in state waters with at least Class 5 winds and without high levels of conflict (such as military air space and wild life), says Carolyn Elfland, vice chancellor of the University of North Carolina. “The pilot turbines will facilitate utility-scale wind energy development by allowing studies to measure and predict the wind resource, quantifying ecological impacts, and demonstrating turbine performance in tropical storm conditions.”
According to Pettit, the next year will be full of stressful but exciting prospects. Currently a plan has yet to be established to reach the 2010 deadline. “With anything there are going to be some bumps. We need to figure out the best way to get permits, we’ve got to find turbine manufacturers and deal with a lot of details no one has handled before,” he says. “To start, Duke will need to talk to a lot of manufacturing companies to see who is willing to join the team. We hope to find a company that will have the same interest in off shore wind energy as Duke and UNC do. We’ll see what happens.”
The partners also hope to gain feedback from area residents of the Outer Banks. They believe it will be a positive experience for residents to view the turbines in action and gain a better understanding of how exactly wind is used as a renewable energy source. If all goes well, this study will become the pilot to a growing future of offshore wind energy for North Carolina and the rest of the U.S.
