The pilot project builds on a nine-month study completed in June by UNC for the North Carolina General Assembly that found that the state is well positioned to develop utility-scale wind projects.
The pilot turbine installation will facilitate utility-scale wind energy development by enabling studies to optimize measuring and predicting the wind resource, quantifying ecological impacts and demonstrating turbine performance in tropical storm conditions. Duke Energy will pay for the turbines and their installation, and UNC will continue its research throughout the project.
Over the coming weeks and months, UNC and Duke Energy will continue to seek out community comments and answer questions about the project.
‘This project is the critical step that will determine the future of wind power off the Outer Banks,’ says state Sen. Marc Basnight. ‘It will allow for community feedback and collaboration, and it will be a very positive information-finding effort. People will be able to view the turbines working, and we will gain a greater understanding of how to use wind as a renewable energy source.’
SOURCE: Duke Energy
