The administration of Maine's Gov. John Baldacci has identified three sites for offshore wind power test projects.
The Associated Press reports that the sites will be near Boon Island off York in southern Maine, near Damariscove Island south of Boothbay Harbor, and south of Monhegan Island off Port Clyde. Furthermore, the University of Maine has been assigned to develop the Monhegan site; the university has already received an $8 million federal grant for offshore wind power studies.
Habib Dagher, director of the university's Advanced Structures and Composites Center, estimates that Maine has the potential wind energy of 149 GW. He adds that the state has the goal to produce 5 GW of offshore wind power power by 2030. Maine is already home to three wind farms.
SOURCE: Associated Press
