North Carolina might actually want to consider sitting this race out. All along the East Coast, states are trying to be the first and most powerful energy producer of wind energy, the least reliable source of power available. Despite wind’s lack of consistency, lawmakers seem to view it as a soon-to-be “cash cow.”
Senate Bill 747, “Offshore Wind Jobs and Economic Development,” is seeking information on the creation of offshore wind farms. The bill reads, “the offshore wind industry presents North Carolina with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a new industry, attract major new manufacturing facilities, establish a robust export market, and create thousands of jobs.”
The bill would require the state’s participating electric utilities to enter into a long-term contract for one or more qualifying offshore wind generators that produces 2,500 megawatts of energy. The first facility would be built by Dec. 31, 2017. Any electric membership corporation, or municipality, could participate by submitting written notice to the state Utilities Commission 30 days in advance of entering a contract.
Harnessing wind for energy consumption has been going on (throughout the world) for years. Wind is not constant and maximizing its use is still being studied. Wind farms are rapidly being regulated by governments. As such, wind turbines don’t always produce anticipated energy results, inevitably leading to an increase in energy costs for consumers.
According to a Washington Post opinion piece, China “invests more than any other nation in environmentally friendly energy production: $34 billion in 2009, or twice as much as the United States. Almost all of its investment, however, is spent producing green energy for Western nations that pay heavy subsidies for consumers to use solar panels and wind turbines.”
The piece continues, “In wind power, China both produces and consumes. In 2009, it put up about a third of the world’s new wind turbines. But much of this has been for show. A 2008 Citigroup analysis found that about one-third of China’s wind power assets were not in use. Many turbines are not connected to the transmission grid. Chinese power companies built wind turbines that they didn’t use as the cheapest way of satisfying – on paper – government requirements to boost renewable energy capacity.”