Offshore wind project getting closer to realization

Making North Carolina first in the entire nation with the vision to move forward:

In August 2007, the North Carolina General Assembly established standards for a renewable energy portfolio in the state, and in 2009, the legislature passed a bill that required UNC to develop a wind demonstration project.

A partnership between Duke Energy and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the project would place up to three large wind turbines in the sound about seven miles west of Avon, nine miles north of Frisco and eight miles from Buxton.

A couple of realities that need to be noted here; positive and progressive government involvement is necessary, on both the State and Federal level, to solve our energy issues:

"Without that legislative trigger, we wouldn't be here today," said Spencer Hanes, Duke's project sponsor. "We're looking at a project that, on its own, it probably wouldn't be developed."

And those who lack vision cannot be allowed to impede progress through their short-sightedness:

Moore said Cape Hatteras, which serves 7,500 customers, would typically contract with North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation to buy wholesale power. But he said it is possible to make arrangements to purchase power directly from Duke.

"If the power that comes off the wind generators is very expensive, we're not interested in purchasing it," he said. "If we can negotiate a cost that's comparable or less than what we're paying now, we're very interested."