Academic and business leaders are among panelists who participated in a forum discussion about offshore wind’s potential for North Carolina communities. About 200 people attended the Offshore Wind Forum, held Feb. 7, at Carteret Community College.
Carteret Community College was the third college in the state to host an offshore wind forum in the last five months. Other forums have been held at UNC-Wilmington and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Sparking interest in coastal communities, offshore wind is being seen as a way to increase economic investment and create jobs, according to a N.C. Sierra Club release.
North Carolina has the best offshore wind resources on the East Coast according to reports from the UNC-Chapel Hill and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. To make sure North Carolina best uses its unique opportunity to become a leader in clean energy, Governor Bev Perdue established the Offshore Wind Economic Development Task Force when she issued Executive Order 96 in June.