Offshore Wind

A Huge Resource for the Southeast

The persistent pressure to drill for oil in the South Atlantic ignores a much more abundant energy source off the Eastern Seaboard: wind.

The winds off the coasts of Virginia and the Carolinas have the raw potential to meet much of these states’ power demands. With its expertise in energy law and policy, as well as coast and wetlands protection, SELC is providing leadership our region needs to tap into this huge resource. If done responsibly and in the right locations, offshore wind power promises to generate not only clean electricity, but also jobs and economic growth for our states.

Ambitious Plans for the Atlantic

We are urging the U.S. Department of the Interior to move forward with its “Smart from the Start” initiative to accelerate wind development on the Atlantic outer continental shelf—including off the shoreline of Virginia, where we are vigorously resisting political efforts to open the coast to drilling.

According to government estimates, as much as 212 gigawatts of offshore wind power is available in the shallow waters off the East Coast. The U.S. Department of Energy has set the ambitious goal of bringing 10 gigawatts of that capacity online by 2020. That’s roughly the equivalent of a dozen big power plants.

Reducing Pollution, Increasing Energy Independence

SELC is working with other environmental groups on the East Coast to help craft a policy framework for developing wind energy. Reaping the benefits of this power source will require cooperation and coordination among federal agencies, state, and local governments, and a wide range of stakeholders, as well as careful examination of environmental impacts.

SELC is committed to helping decision makers understand the issues so they can act now to take advantage of this resource—and help the nation meet the twin objectives of reducing global warming pollution and increasing energy independence.