November 12, 2014 | By Doug Peeples

Extensive collaborative research is being conducted by several southeastern states, notably South Carolina, to lay the groundwork needed to develop an offshore wind industry. The area is well-suited for the relatively new technology, but detailed research is needed.

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Offshore wind technology is a relative newcomer to the United States. While projects are in development stages on the East Coast, the Great Lakes and the Pacific Coast, there are no operational wind farms in the country now.

What may be one of the closest, if not the closest, to operational status is Cape Wind off the Cape Cod coast. The developers of that project anticipate financing to be completed sometime near the end of this year. In contrast, Europe has 64 offshore wind farms in operation.

But South Carolina and other locations are very promising -- so promising that a massive collaborative effort is underway. And the federal government is behind it.

Coastal Carolina University, the College of Charleston and the University of South Carolina are getting about $1.5 million in federal and state grants to pinpoint the best and worst areas for development. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which has already approved several commercial offshore wind leases, is heavily involved.

In addition to research, universities are getting involved on the technology side. Clemson University Restoration Institute has a wind turbine drive train testing center in North Charleston and the university's Strom Thurmond Institute will participate in evaluating the economic benefits.

But it is not just about finding the best, most productive locations for development. Environmental and cultural issues are as much a part of the picture as they are on land. The South Carolina Institute of Anthropology and Archaeology also will participate in the assessment process to ensure that cultural artifacts like shipwrecks and now submerged prehistoric landscapes and settlements are preserved. Ocean wildlife habitats must also be considered in siting evaluations. 

Similar efforts are underway elsewhere. The Interior Department has had lease sales off the costs of Maryland and Virginia.

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