He begins with a population density map of the continental US. Of course, most of the nation's biggest cities and population clusters are coastal (or near the Great Lakes).
He begins with a discussion of some of the "hydrokinetic" technology under development. Because the technology is new, a number of different designs are being tested - there are open rotors that look like underwater wind turbines, as well as smaller units shrouded in tubes.
Wave energy is even more diverse in design. The Pelamis is a "floating snake" that compresses and pumps hydraulic fluid through a turbine as a wave runs along its length. Others use floating buoys (pictured) in which a wave moves a magnet up and down through a coil to create current. Breakwater-like "terminator" generators collect and focus wave energy into a single, central turbine. Onto offshore wind: advantages include no visual complaints, and easier to transport huge rotors by sea than by road.
1135 MW of offshore wind power are installed in Europe - mostly in GB and Denmark. Targets are 40 GW by 2020, 150 GW by 2030. Offshore projects can utilize huge turbines: 5 megawatt turbines are going up in Scotland.
Cost factors include turbine supply, construction costs, exchange rates (the weak dollar makes turbine technology more affordable in Europe).
Offshore projects in development: about a dozen projects proposed, none built yet. There are essentially only 2 firms that can supply offshore equipment: Siemens and Vestas. Both are European companies (another strike against us, with our weak dollar).
Maine has 133 gigawatts in potential deep-water offshore turbine development. 6.4 gigawatts in shallow water (0 to 30 meters deep). So far, technology only exists for fixed-foundation turbines in water up to 30 meters deep. Deepwater technology would probably rely on floating-platform technology.
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