NC Wind Energy Development Economics Study Released

A study which examines the feasibility, siting constraints and development costs of ocean-based renewable energy facilities that lie within North Carolina state waters or federal waters within 200 nautical miles of the coastline that lie beyond state jurisdiction has been released to the public.

The study was prepared for for the North Carolina State Energy Office, Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and US Department of Energy by Dr. Harvey Seim and Chris Calloway of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Marine Sciences. A cost model for offshore wind farm foundations and transmission lines was applied across suitable cadastres for decision support.

The principal tools used in the study are an inventory of existing, proposed and reasonably foreseeable energy facilities and a spatial analysis of costs. The results are incorporated into a geographical information system (GIS) database and expressed as transferable spatial maps (i.e. GIS shapefiles).

Included in the release are non-redistributable GIS mapfiles and shapefiles supporting the study.

The study is a follow-on to the UNC Coastal Wind Energy Feasibility Study.