Offshore Wind for N.C.

North Carolina’s wind blows strong 

The winds off North Carolina’s coast powered the Wright Brothers’ first flight in 1903, and they’ve been going strong ever since. In fact, just over 100 years after the first flight, converting just a fraction of the winds off our shores to energy could provide all of North Carolina’s energy needs. 

North Carolina moving backwards on energy?

Despite our enormous potential for offshore wind energy, too many in North Carolina’s General Assembly are focused on the energy sources of the past — which pollute the air and water and could threaten our beaches with devastating toxic spills. At the same time, though we have more offshore wind potential than any other Atlantic Coast state, North Carolina is falling behind its neighbors when it comes to developing wind energy.

North Carolina can make history, again

The Wright Brothers’ took a giant leap forward when they took off at Kitty Hawk 108 years ago. North Carolina has an enormous opportunity to do the same with offshore wind, making our state not only “first in flight” but “first in wind.” 

The first step in charting our future in offshore wind is for North Carolina’s leaders to support extending federal tax incentives vital for both onshore and offshore wind power production.

The coal and oil lobby is urging Congress to let these tax credits expire, which would mean the loss of 37,000 jobs along with increased pollution.

That is why Environment North Carolina is calling the state’s leaders to take advantage of North Carolina’s offshore wind potential by supporting extending the wind energy tax credit.  It’s time to make history, again.