May 5, 2011 - North Carolina offshore wind legislation

Here's a quick pointer to an article I wrote for the Offshore Wind Wire on proposed offshore wind legislation in North Carolina. Senate Bill 747 calls for long-term contracts between utilities and 2,500 megawatts of offshore wind capacity in the next decade, and posits that the net economic benefits of developing offshore wind (and siting supply chain jobs onshore) should exceed the costs.

A National Electrical Manufacturers Association sign promoting fluorescent lightbulb recycling, recently spotted outside Boston.

Meanwhile, the Maine legislature is considering a slate of bills about land-based wind energy.  Last week the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology held public hearings on the bills; today, the committee is holding work sessions on 14 pieces of legislation affecting wind projects.