From wind resource maps, you can determine if an area should be further explored.
Credit: U.S. D.O.E.
In a study you know didn’t appear over night, the DOE has put together a nationwide map of wind currents as they move across the country 50 meters off the ground. From this wind resource map, you can determine if an area should be further explored for maximum wind power.
After enlarging the map above, you can easily see that the whole coastline of S.C. is rated either ‘good’, ‘excellent’, or ‘outstanding’ as a source of wind power. So when you hear that South Carolina’s potential state tax credit for the development of an off-shore wind farm is $1,063,333, it’s a no-brainer that we head in this direction.
Two Clemson University scientists were awarded more than $800,000 to find economical and environmentally sensible ways to treat what oilmen call ‘produced or co-produced water’: billions of gallons of contaminated water that come out of the ground during oil and natural gas production.
The research funding includes $689,500 from the U.S. Department of Energy and $120,000 from Chevron of Houston, Texas.
A constructed wetland
2 years later
Credit: Wikipedia
A constructed wetland
before treatment
Credit: Wikipedia
The idea of creating wetlands ties in well with the SPA’s plans to manage wetlands, where they have promised to increase their focus on our environment by contributing $3 million to restore 22 acres of tidal marsh along the southern tip of Drum Island in lower Charleston Harbor.
February 12, 2009
A NOAA Chief that’s fine with offshore drilling?
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, who goes before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee today for confirmation hearings on her nomination to head NOAA, seems to fall right inline with Pres. Obama’s view of offshore drilling.
Should the fact that she owns stock in a few offshore drilling companies be of any alarm to us? I sure hope not, but to be honest, even though this was my first time voting, I still don’t trust politicians, or anybody with power (meaning lots of money in this case). Too many times we hear of crap going on in the news, and lord only knows how much stuff goes on that we don’t even learn of!
Philippe Cousteau, grandson of legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau and founder of Earth Echo, and Ted Danson, award-winning actor, longtime ocean advocate and Oceana board member, urged the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources to protect our oceans and climate from the threats of offshore drilling.
In their testimonies, they called on Congress to quickly reinstate the moratorium on offshore drilling, which was allowed to lapse in 2008 under Bush.
Philippe Cousteau urged Congress to reinstate the offshore drilling bans that until last fall had been in effect for 25 years in Atlantic and Pacific coastal waters.
“Oil and water simply don’t mix,” said Danson. “While not intentional, oil spills do happen and they harm everything from the smallest ocean organisms to the largest predators in the sea.”
