In a study published in the journal Wind Energy (PDF), the authors detailed how their five years of modeling studies determined that by placing 144,000 offshore wind turbines – each 270 feet high and each capable of generating 5 megawatts of power – up and down the coast from Maine to Florida we could provide enough electricity for the entire region.

While looking for the best places to capture and utilize wind energy, the researchers looked for regions with a low hurricane risk, a water depth of less than 100 feet, and areas without any conflicting uses such as shipping lanes or bird migration paths. The offshore area from Virginia to Maine was found to have “the most exceptional overall resource” due to wind patterns and a significantly less chance of devastating hurricane activity in the future. For the area south of Virginia down to Florida, the report stated that quite a large area could be available for offshore wind if the concept of floating turbines were developed into more feasible units from their current prototype-like state.

“People mistakenly think that wind energy is not useful because output from most land-based turbines peaks in the late evening/early morning, when electricity demand is low,” said Mike Dvorak, principle author of the study. “The real value of offshore wind energy is that it often peaks when we need the most electricity — during the middle of the day.”

With the $2.5 billion Cape Wind Project starting to take shape off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and lawsuits opposing it being dropped, we could soon see much more offshore wind development in the near future. Currently the U.S. gets just 4 percent of its electricity from wind power. Would residents up and down the East Coast trade off the distant sight of 144,000 turbines off the coast of their beach to know all their power is coming from a clean and renewable source? Would you?

[via NBC News]

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The Cape Wind project will have 130 wind turbines, and is expected to produce 174 megawatts of electricity on average — almost 75 percent of the electricity demand for Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. It’s expected to substantially lower electricity bills in the area. The wind farm will also create up to 1,000 jobs during construction, and 150 permanent jobs.

Though it will be more than six miles from the nearest beach on Cape Cod, and the wind turbines will appear just one half-inch above the horizon from that point, residents have been concerned about the appearance of the project. Another lawsuit from local fishermen, concerned about the wind farm’s impacts to navigation, was eventually dropped.

Residents have also argued that the wind farm will harm wildlife, particularly birds. Now, though, wildlife experts like Mass Audubon have given their support to the project. Mass Audubon reports that after nine years of data analysis, they have concluded the project will not pose an ecologically significant threat to birds and other wildlife in the area.

Critics also argued that the 440-foot wind turbines would pose a danger to pilots. The FAA ruled that the project can go forward, but is requiring lights on the towers and the use of specific paint colors.

The next step for the project will be final financing. Once underway, the wind farm will take two years to complete.

Main photo credit: Laura Padgett/Flickr

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