Why offshore wind is poised to restructure our energy picture

[kristopher]

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 34, L02817, doi:10.1029/2006GL028016, 2007

Large CO2 reductions via offshore wind power matched to inherent storage in energy end-uses

Willett Kempton

College of Marine and Earth Studies, University of Delaware,
Newark, Delaware, USA

Cristina L. Archer

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University,
Stanford, California, USA

Amardeep Dhanju and Richard W. Garvine

College of Marine and Earth Studies, University of Delaware,
Newark, Delaware, USA

Mark Z. Jacobson

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University,
Stanford, California, USA

Abstract

<1> We develop methods for assessing offshore wind resources, using a model of the vertical structure of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) over water and a wind-electric technology analysis linking turbine and tower limitations to bathymetry and continental shelf geology.

These methods are tested by matching the winds of the Middle-Atlantic Bight (MAB) to energy demand in the adjacent states (Massachusetts through North Carolina, U.S.A.).

We find that the MAB wind resource can produce 330 GW average electrical power, a resource exceeding the region's current summed demand for 73 GW of electricity, 29 GW of light vehicle fuels (now gasoline), and 83 GW of building fuels (now distillate fuel oil and natural gas).

Supplying these end-uses with MAB wind power would reduce by 68% the region's CO2 emissions, and reduce by 57% its greenhouse gas forcing. These percentages are in the range of the global reductions needed to stabilize climate.

http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/gl0702/2006GL028016/

The article is available at the chapter tabs to the left of the abstract.
If you can't access it for some reason, let me know and I'll point you to a prepublication version I also found.

[MaryCeleste]

1. I would also argue that every locale has to be part of the solution

and that those which NIMBY should not share in the clean renewable power. Ted Kennedy are you listening?