Wind energy technology is a huge opportunity for the
Currituck economy. Through the Obama
Administration’s strong stance on developing domestic energy, wind energy has
been placed in the forefront of the energy policy.
Part of the energy strategy includes offshore energy
research. A recent announcement from the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) revealed that it was actively looking
for interest from the energy community to acquire commercial wind leases in
three areas off the Atlantic coastline that surround Currituck County, North
Carolina.
Offshore wind resources “are abundant, stronger and blow
more consistently than land-based wind resources,” say the US Department of
Energy. By developing and demonstrating
the capabilities of offshore wind technologies off the North Carolina coast and
converting it to electricity, the domestic energy capabilities enormously increase.
In a separate announcement, Dominion Virginia Power of
Richmond which serves Currituck County, received a $4 million grant to“design,
develop, and install two 6-megawatt direct-drive turbines off the coast of
Virginia Beach,” from the US Department of Energy’s Wind Program funding.This
grant is an excellent opportunity to prove the capabilities of wind technology
as well as provide more jobs to the area.
BOEM plans to hold several public information sessions in Currituck North Carolina in an effort to
answer questions, provide an overview of the recent Call for Information and
the Notice of Intent, and talk about the next steps for the wind energy research
plans. Please go their website for a
list of dates, locations and times.
Offshore wind energy is poised to be very beneficial to
communities in the US. Not only does it benefit
the environment by offering clean and renewable energy that is generated by
pure wind at a cost that is on par with other fuel sources, wind energy technology
creates more jobs and funnels more money into local communities where projects
are located.
The potential for what this wind energy project can do for Currituck
and Hampton Roads business is outstanding. In
fact, area community colleges have createdalternative
energy career trainingbecause of the future direction of domestic energy is
excellent.
For more information on offshore wind energy and research,
contact the Currituck County Economic Development Department at (252) 232-6015
or pbishop@thinkcurrituck.com.
For more Contact:
Think Currituck
P153 Courthouse Road, Suite 207
Currituck, NC 27929
Phone:
http://www.thinkcurrituck.com/
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