LEGAL 



TIDES 



development for the N.C. Solar Center. But, he 

 acknowledges, those who are opposed to the 

 project have been very vocal. 



"The developers went forward without 

 talking to anybody," says Kalland. "We don't 

 want to do that in North Carolina." 



The key to having people accept wind 

 farms at popular areas like the beach is to talk to 

 the residents to familiarize them with the process 

 and the proposed project, says Bacchus. "But 

 right now we're basically on hold until we receive 

 the proper financing," he adds. 



The Coastal Wind Initiative also includes a 

 study to gauge public perceptions of wind power 

 in eastern North Carolina. 



Another issue centers on the use of North 

 Carolina's coastal sounds and ocean waters as a 

 platform forwind energy generation, according 

 to Clark. "Some of the most promising wind 

 energy sources lie offshore, but state policy 



currently does not allow for large-scale private 

 leasing of state-owned coastal waters," he says. 



In an effort to balance and protect public 

 uses of coastal waters, North Carolina only allows 

 private leasing for shellfish aquaculture and on a 

 limited per-acre basis. 



'To encourage large-scale offshore wind 

 energy generation, state policy would need to be 

 refocused. This likely would require the support of 

 other users of coastal waters such as commercial 

 and recreational fishers and boaters," Clark says. 



SMALL-SCALE WIND 



Chns Carter says wind 

 and other renewable resources 

 — such as the sun — need to be 

 utilized if humans want to be 

 "clean and green and not out 

 of the race." That's why he's 

 been installing small-scale wind 

 power and solar energy projects 

 for businesses, homeowners 

 and farms for more than a 

 decade. 



Carter is president of 

 Solar Village, a company 

 in Saxapahaw in Alamance 

 County. The wind turbines he 

 installs run through a battery 

 and need a much lower-grade 

 wind to produce electricity for a single location. 



'That's the way my house has been running 

 for 12 years," says Carter. "We have our own 

 gourmet wind power here. They [wind turbines] 

 are very cost-effective and a lot of fun." 



The total cost of installing small-scale wind 

 power equipment ranges from about $45,000 

 to $55,000, according to Carter. The initial cost 

 may sound expensive, but he cites one major 

 long-term return: there aren't any more power 

 bills to pay. 



Carter has installed wind systems all over 

 North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. 



"A variety of people want renewable 

 energy," Carter says, rattling off a list of potential 

 clients. "Somebody with remote property, or the 

 first person on the block who wants this type of 

 technology to set a standard. It's unstoppable. 

 Wind power is the cheapest electricity in the 

 world right now, and we've got to get it." 



DATA, POLICIES NEEDED 



Despite the financial barrier of large-scale 

 wind, Kalland says small-scale turbines like the 

 ones Carter installs may get the public's attention 

 and ultimately lead to large-scale wind farms at 

 the coast operated by utility companies. 



But the first step will be deciphering the data 

 from the anemometers. 



Those numbers will determine if developing 

 wind power sites in eastern North Carolina would 

 be feasible. And right now it's hard to gauge the 

 potential, notes Mast. 



"I can't say that it's been a breakthrough at 

 this point," says Mast. "No one is going to put up 

 a turbine until we have a year's worth of data to 

 show for it." 



The N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning 

 and Policy Center is examining policies related to 

 coastal wind power development. The center is a 

 collaboration of North Carolina Sea Grant, the 

 UNC Law School and the UNC Coastal Studies 

 Institute. 



Clark cites several complicated questions 

 that need to be addressed before large-scale wind 

 power is introduced to North Carolina. These 

 include: 



• Will policy be changed to encourage 

 individual, small-scale wind turbines, orwill 

 changes go further to support and encourage 

 larger, utility-scale wind facilities? 



• How much energy can wind produce and 

 how does it compare to other conventional and 

 nonconventional energy sources — today and in 

 the future? 



- What is the source of North Carolina's 

 air pollution and will wind energy measurably 

 mitigate the problem? 



• Regarding the coastal sounds and ocean 

 waters, can North Carolina develop a policy that 

 allows for balance between public and private 

 uses of state-owned coastal waters? 



• What will be the overall impression of local 

 communities regarding large-scale wind farms? 



"Until these, along with many other issues, 

 can be answered, large-scale wind energy in North 

 Carolina will continue to be a thought instead of 

 reality," Clark says. □ 



For more information on the North Carolina 

 Coastal Wind Initiative, go online to www.ncsc.ncsu. 

 edu. 



COASTWATCH 29 



