Oregon offshore wind energy farm project announced

[bananas]

Source: Associated Press

A Seattle company is being given the green light to develop plans to build the West Coast's first offshore wind energy farm — five floating turbines off Oregon's Coos Bay, federal and state officials said Wednesday.

The 30-megawatt pilot project was announced at a press conference by Gov. John Kitzhaber, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Tommy Beaudreau.

Though offshore wind farms are an expensive source of energy, proponents say they could bring clean, efficient electricity, create new jobs and stimulate the economy.

"It's not going to be economic out of the gate," Beaudreau said. But "it's important for Oregon to be on the edge of what could be a huge industry in the future."

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Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/oregon-offshore-wind-energy-farm-project-announced

[Hulk]

1. Brilliant!!

If this works out, and it certainly could/should; it will be the perfect solution to the "eye-sore" that wind farms create on the landscape. I know, I know....oil rigs are ugly too; but so are wind farms, in my humble opinion. This would be great. Fifteen miles off the coast, out of sight, out of mind, and nearly always loaded with wind. Brilliant!!

[SoapBox]

2. But, but, but...

We love our Tarsands stuff!

[Theyletmeeatcake2]

3. I hope no bald eagles will be harmed!!!!

Just stirring the pot!!!

[seabeckind]

4. Only the stupid ones.

I'm more worried about the gulls. You know what they did down in Bodega Bay when somebody did something they didn't like.

[seabeckind]

5. Fantastic idea

I don't think they're ugly. That's one of the criticisms defined by the fossil fuel folks and I disagree with it. I think their color (white) and they way they move looks almost artistic. So stately and so often out of sync...almost like each windmill is listening to a different theme.

As far as noise? Maybe if I stood under one for a while it might be annoying, so I don't. Grains crops don't seem to mind.

And harming wildlife? A lot less than the poison spewed into the air by a coal or NG power plant.

In Indiana some state moron introduced a nuke plant bill.

[Pterodactyl]

6. We need more of this! Faster, please!

[truthisfreedom]

7. Wonderful!

They float? Wow!

[polynomial]

8. Progress is an important product

Long time ago commercials by General Electric used to say “ Progress is our most important product “ on television by Ronald Reagan.

Now GE and General Motors are one of the primary producers of the most advance electric motors the rail road industry uses in America or around the world for the transportation industry.

Yep, those long trains work on electricity to pull those long twenty ton coal cars. That is another contrasting stubbornness of the one percent for insane economics. America uses clean energy to move dirty energy around. Sheesh.

It would be practical to design a smaller version of these rail road engines for the automobile. My prophecy is that will eventually happen. More over a toll way electric oasis, for rest stops will be the wave of the future the first blue state that get there will create a huge advantage in economic growth.

From my view the old oil is on its way out a lot faster than Ed Shultz predicts. The economic boom from such a transition is so powerful that political party that does not participate to help and implement the growth will likely vanish.