Outer Banks Wind Farm Hits a Snag

Posted on August 20, 2010

Wind Turbine

Duke Energy has been working towards a wind farm along the Outer Banks. The initial plan called for a pilot program in conjunction with UNC Chapel Hill to build three wind turbines in the Sound, but Duke Energy has decided it will not build the three wind turbines in Pamlico Sound as a pilot project..

The costs of the small pilot project were too steep. Duke had estimated the costs at $35 million. But it now believes the costs would be closer to $116 million to build three turbines.

Duke Energy feels the economies of scale still argue that building a large number of offshore turbines would be economically feasible for developers. The problem with the small project is that the utility cannot sufficiently defray the design, permitting and other fixed costs with only three turbines.

Duke Energy does not consider this a failure.

The project has already proved that the best place for building such turbines would be on the ocean side of the Outer Banks. Duke Energy feels that Pamilco Sound is too shallow for the barges that would be required for construction of the offshore turbines. And the greater wind resources in North Carolina are clearly on the ocean side of the Outer Banks.

This may seem like a step back, but Duke Energy is still committed to the wind farm and has increased its investment in UNC Chapel Hill’s study of offshore wind power for North Carolina to $4 million, a $400,000 increase.

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Fresh & Local

Posted on August 6, 2010

Fresh and the Outer Banks definitely go hand and hand; fresh seafood, fresh salt air. However, thoughts of the Outer Banks don’t necessarily conjure pictures of fresh fruit and veggies, but they should.

As you drive south to the OBX along Rt. 158, you pass through a number of communities in Currituck County that have a strong history of farming. Many of these farms still operate today, and for the lucky traveler, the farms have set up great “farm stands” along Rt. 158. The stands are full of mouthwatering fruits, veggies, pies, ice cream, etc.

If nothing else, the farm stands give you a great reason to get out and stretch your legs, but I predict it will be more than just a pit stop. Fun will be had, fruits will be purchased, and you’ll help support a local farmer.

After all, who doesn’t love some fresh, local watermelon while you’re sitting on the beach?!

Fresh & Local - Outer Banks

Information (and Questions) Continues to Build About the Potential Outer Banks Wind Farm

Posted on March 26, 2010

Wind Turbine

The Outer Banks continues to garner national attention due to the possibility of a wind farm being constructed along the coast.

The current proposal is for a feasibility test of three wind turbines in the Pamlico Sound along Hatteras. The three towers would stand taller than the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse standing 260 feet tall. The blades for the towers would be 150 feet long.

Many questions have risen as a result of this proposed project. Will there be an electromagnetic interference? Will the towers result in the death of native birds? Will the farm look unattractive and possibly drive people away from the Outer Banks?

As mentioned in the previous post on the subject, the US Army Corps of Engineers and Duke Energy launched an environmental study. Since the towers would be the first offshore wind turbine in the country, the topic has raised some debate. A meeting has already been held that allowed local residents to openly voice their concerns on the subject.

Outer Banks “Wind Farm” Continues to Make Progress

Posted on March 9, 2010

Wind Turbine

The Outer Banks wind energy project continues to make progress. It was recently announced that Army Corps of Engineers has asked Duke Energy to perform an environmental impact assessment. To begin the assessment process, Duke Energy will be holding a public meeting this month to discuss the project.

The meeting will be held in the town of Manteo, and the new environmental impact study will be the main topic of discussion. A Duke Energy spokesperson mentioned that the project is contingent on permits and that there is no specific start date for the project. The meeting will serve as a means of letting locals voice their opinions and express their concerns.

In addition, Duke Energy is currently working in conjunction with UNC Chapel Hill to conduct a demonstration project. The purpose of the demonstration project is to determine the feasibility of offshore wind turbines off the North Carolina coast. The demonstration project is capped by North Carolina statute at three offshore turbines. A UNC representative points out that a small demonstration project like this has the potential to move forward more quickly than larger projects and could be the first offshore wind project built in the United States.

Outer Banks Wind Farm Update

Posted on February 25, 2010

Wind Turbine

As a follow up to a previous post about the potential for a “wind farm” on the Outer Banks, here is an update on the Offshore Wind Project:

The US Army Corps of Engineers has asked Duke Energy Co to undergo environmental impact reasearch on an offshore wind project that will take place in the Pamlico Sound. The project plans for three wind turbines within 3 square miles and 7.3 miles west of Avon and 9.1 miles of Frisco. The Turbines will be connected to the island from an underground electrical cable. This project was announced last September.

The project is being conducted as a test by Duke Energy and UNC Chapel Hill of commercial wind energy along the OBX coast. One of the most common concerns at this point for tourists and residents is the site of the large wind turbines.

As a results of this impact study, 9000 permant jobs could be created. The Corps announced on Tuesday that undertaking this study could take about two years. A public meeting to discuss the scope of the study will be held in Manteo on March 18. Written comments will be taken until April 2. Write: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, Regulatory Division, Attn: File Number SAW 2009-01880, P.O. Box 1000, Washington, NC 27889-1000.

Outer Banks Wind Farm?

Posted on September 10, 2009

Wind Turbine The Outer Banks is becoming the focus of a push for pollution-free electricity. Surfers, Kiteboarders, and sailors know how fierce the winds can be along the Outer Banks, and energy experts are starting to take notice.

A small company from Chapel Hill, Outer Banks Ocean Energy Corp., has been developing plans for more than a year to build a “wind farm” 25 miles off the coast of the Outer Banks, and the plans are gaining momentum. The goal is to harness some of the nation’s best wind resources to create environmentally friendly electricity. The wind farm would generate enough power for about 42,000 homes.

If the project reaches fruition, this would be one of the first wind farms in the U.S., but the idea will need to overcome strong public opposition and pass intense environmental scrutiny. The turbines’ blades would reach 465 feet into the sky. At least 50 towers would be required for the first phase, and plans call for eventually increasing to 150 towers spread out over 54 square miles if demand supports the growth. Even with such large turbines and blades, and at mass quantities, the farm would not be visible 25 miles from shore. In addition, detailed environmental and coastal impact studies are needed: sea bed formation, bird flight patterns, fish movements, commercial shipping lanes, and military training zones.

Getting the project passed will be a formidable task, and building it could be just as difficult. It is estimated to be a seven year project and cost upwards of $900 million. Hurricane-resistant towers would need to be secured to the ocean floor, and underwater transmission cables costing upwards of $2 million per mile would need to come ashore over beaches, dunes, and wetlands.

Project founder, Donald Evans, feels wind is one of our best energy options, saying “Offshore wind is an inexhaustible, clean energy resource. It’s been there since the Earth was here.”

Eventually, the plan also calls for underwater turbines to capture power from the steady Gulf Stream just off the OBX coast.