Offshore wind development is critical to North Carolina

Gareth McGrath’s recent reporting on the progress of offshore wind projects in offshore North Carolina was not only thorough, but also on point: wind energy is gaining momentum here, our growing state needs it, and North Carolina is uniquely positioned to produce a lot of energy This.

As McGrath’s StarNews article noted, Duke Energy is seeking approval from the N.C. Utilities Commission to add 2.4 gigawatts of offshore wind to its portfolio over the next decade. This will help meet our state’s growing energy needs and create thousands of new, well-paying jobs, while reducing carbon emissions from older coal-fired power plants.

Duke proposes clustering wind turbines more than 20 miles off the southeastern coast of North Carolina, where they will be barely visible (if at all) from the shore. My nonprofit organization, Conservatives for Clean Energy North Carolina, strongly supports the development of offshore wind energy, as well as increasing the share of solar and nuclear energy to help our state’s economic growth without polluting our water, air and land.

More: Why has offshore wind development in Brunswick County largely moved onshore?

Voters support wind energy

As a proven technology that is increasingly profitable, wind energy, like other types of clean energy, is widely popular among North Carolina supporters and ideologies.

In fact, North Carolina voters overwhelmingly support more energy choices and more renewable energy, including offshore wind. The 2024 North Carolina Energy Poll conducted for CCENC and the national Clean Energy Buyers Association found that among the state’s likely fall voters:

• Over 77% want consumers to have more choice in energy sources.

• More than 61% support building offshore wind turbines, up from 55% last year. Support increases to about 66% – or two-thirds – when they are told that private investment in wind energy will attract or that the turbines will be located at least 36 km from shore.

• Overall, 74% believe state law should encourage more investment in renewable energy. Clean energy is a winning issue for anyone running for office in North Carolina.

National leader

North Carolina is already a national leader in solar energy, ranking fourth among the 50 states in solar production while generating about 10% of our electricity.

Across the state, solar power is helping homeowners, employing thousands of North Carolinians and providing support to struggling farmers to support their families and preserve their land.

With factories under construction where workers will build electric vehicles, expanded lithium mines and new battery manufacturing plants – often in rural counties hungry for jobs and business investment – ​​North Carolina is an anchor of the growing “Battery Belt” in the Southeast.

Emerging advanced nuclear technology will help us continue to increase energy production in our state while phasing out aging and less efficient coal-fired power plants.

In a time of stark and often bitter political division, we can all agree on the need for affordable, reliable and efficient energy generation. North Carolina’s progress on clean energy is helping lead the way as electricity demand surges across the state and nation.

North Carolinians just celebrated National Clean Energy Week and can be proud that we’ve played a key role in solving America’s 21st century energy problems – especially in the warm, windy waters off our southeastern coast.

Carson Butts is the state director of Conservatives for Clean Energy in North Carolina.

This article originally appeared on the Wilmington StarNews: OPINION: Offshore wind development is key for NC