WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | GA Tech, Southern Company Study Offshore Wind Power

GA Tech, Southern Company Study Offshore Wind Power

There's often a nice breeze along Georgia's coast, but it's hardly strong or consistent enough to generate electricity. Research has shown that the Coastal Empire does not present a lot of opportunity for alternative energy sources.

"The southwestern part of the United States has great opportunities for solar, the northwestern part of the United States has great opportunity for wind," said Chris Hobson of Southern Company. "The southeastern region has really been...pretty devoid of renewable options."

Georgia Tech researchers have looked into wind power offshore, but they didn't know if the wind was strong enough off Georgia.

"Wouldn't it be nice to have some data to at least evaluate the viability of that or not?" asked the school's David Frost. "Clearly, existing--what I will call national-scale maps--indicated that it probably was not a viable option for offshore wind in this area."

But researchers with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography have different information. They've been studying the wind and waves at Navy towers miles offshore for years.

"If they design these systems properly, apparently this will provide sufficient consistent wind for them to at least pursue a pilot project," said SkIO's Jim Nelson.

When it comes to renewable energy, the people who run the offshore platforms are no strangers. In fact, under normal circumstances, they get all of the energy they need from solar and wind turbines.

Now Georgia Tech and Southern Company are conducting a year-long study, which might mean the wind way out on the ocean will one day power hundreds or possibly thousands of homes.

"It'd be a real step forward for the whole Southeast in terms of renewable energy," said Hobson.

"This just makes too much sense for us not to proceed," said Frost. "Again, proceed with all of the due diligence that's appropriate."

But researchers are optimistic their study will show the wind off Georgia's coast will some day help power the state.

Structures like those the study may recommend can be huge, some with blades as long a a hundred feet. The good news is that, if they do go in, the breadth of the continental shelf off Georgia would allow them to be far enough from land so we wouldn't see them from the beach.

Reported by: Charles Gray, cgray@wtoc.com