There is significant change happening within the energy industry. As time progresses and the need for a dynamic shift in energy policy becomes more apparent, the old model of providing energy is giving way to innovative ideas and technologies designed to rethink our methods for supplying North Carolina with sufficient and reliable energy.
It is with this goal in mind that the Outer Banks Ocean Energy Corporation (OBOE), whose strategy is to develop an Offshore Energy Preserve in North Carolina, came to fruition. We understand two distinct truths:
1) Today’s energy policies and development must include greater social and environmental standards and practices; and
2) Our state possesses the offshore wind resources capable of setting a high benchmark and steering the need for the country’s and state’s energy independence in the proper direction.
The environmental footprint of an offshore wind farm is significantly smaller than its fossil-fuel counterpart. President Obama’s energy initiatives call for drastic changes in the U.S. energy landscape, and OBOE and other offshore wind farm projects will help satisfy the nation’s Renewable Energy direction. Pollutants are nonexistent or at a minimum for offshore wind farms. Wind turbines do not expend natural resources (except wind, of course). Hazardous waste is eliminated. The social and environmental benefits are numerous, a statement which is backed by hard evidence gathered from offshore wind farms already in operation, mostly in Europe.
Several key scientific and environmental phenomena intersect at a crucial juncture – our coast’s offshore space. The Gulf Stream creates a perfect opportunity, with conditions that satisfy the needs of an offshore wind farm. Off North Carolina’s coast, energetic winds are found in locations that are not visually imposing. We are fortunate to have these resources available in our backyard.
Our ultimate goal is to develop an Offshore Energy Preserve that will provide electrical power through a hybrid approach, involving wind turbines, wave power and Gulf Stream current turbines. We are engaged in discussions with North Carolina utility companies, and the feedback is clear – there is support within the state’s energy industry for this kind of progressive action in order to meet the future needs of North Carolina.
The call to action for wind energy in the U.S. is increasingly tangible. Our national wind energy industry installed 8.5 billion watts (or 8.5 gigawatts) of new generating capacity last year – a move that channeled $17 billion back into the nation’s economy. OBOE’s Offshore Wind Energy Project will yield tremendous benefits for North Carolina and its residents and businesses, by supplying plentiful and reliable electric power and by pumping millions of dollars into the state and local economies.
We encourage you to continue following OBOE through this blog as the move toward offshore wind energy in North Carolina gains traction. We are excited about the opportunity to enhance our state’s energy infrastructure, lessening its environmental footprint and bringing money into the state’s economy – an opportunity that is built on the strong support for Renewable Energy.
September 18th, 2009 at 8:39 am
[...] A New Day For Offshore Wind Energy In North Carolina [...]