State agencies work toward wind farms

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Twenty years down the road when wind farms are operating in the Mid-Atlantic, they could bring an estimated $80 billion to Virginia, and more than 5,000 long-term jobs.

Now, city and state agencies, universities, and environmental groups are uniting to make it happen.

"We have the potential for not only wind turbines off the coast of Virginia, but for Hampton Roads to become the silicon valley of wind development for the entire east coast," said Bob Matthias, assistant to the Virginia Beach city manager.

"Even if Virginia is not first state to get wind development, then we want to be here where the construction is done, where the turbines are put together and then transported up the coast or down the coast or whatever," he said. "Where the blades are put together, where the ships are constructed to build the offshore facilities and all that. We are very well situated for that in the mid Atlantic and for that reason the entire east coast."

The assertion is shared by the Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition (VOW) and the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium (VCERC).

George Hagerman of Virginia Tech is the Director of Research for VCERC.

"We're not trying to develop an offshore wind project or be the first project," he said. "What we want is a sustained program of offshore wind development."

"We think the most immediate opportunity is going to rest with the requirement coming out of the Department of Energy for a wind turbine ocean test facility," said Virginia State Senator Frank Wagner, R-Virginia Beach,

The DOE asked for input about what is needed to test wind turbines and their 120-foot blades.

Stakeholders believe a national testing center in Hampton Roads could answer important military and weather questions.

"The turbines designed for European conditions, those the structural design of those turbines is not necessarily designed to handle the rapidly shifting direction of a hurricane," Hagerman said.

Furgo is a European marine renewable energy company helped create wind farms off the coast of Great Britain. Tom McNeilan oversees the Fugro Atlantic office in Norfolk.

"This is an industry that should happen, and be developed over the next decade in the U.S. Will there be obstacles, barriers to overcome? Of course there are."

These obstacles involve the military.

With so many Department of Defense (DOD) resources in Hampton Roads, the quest for renewable energy cannot interfere with military operations.

Radar is a major consideration for DOD, which Wagner believes makes a test facility near Air Force and Naval aviation a bonus.

"We're going to have an operational test, one turbine out there that will give the military an opportunity to really examine radar interferences and what the impact is," he said.

A DOD assessment of unsolicited wind farm proposals showed several red blocks off Virginia's coast as off limits because of critical training operations. A smaller number of yellow blocks represents negotiable areas for wind turbines.

"They've basically said, these are the areas we would like to talk to you further about offshore wind development," said Hank Giffin with VOW. "Some of the areas aren't as good as other sites. Some are dump site, others there's a channel going through a couple of them. Not all of them are available actually as wind farms. We think right now that's a great start. We'd love to see more areas open up."

Defense leaders say they are confident offshore wind efforts can be successful.

Gary Strasburg, an Air Force Chief of Environmental Public Affairs sent WAVY.com a statement:

"The Air Force is working with the Department of Defense to develop governance and policy. The Air Force is a strong supporter of compatible renewable energy projects and believes it can work with industry and others to mitigate any concerns."

As part of the Offshore Renewable Energy Task force, the U.S. Coast Guard also offers input on what can happen in the waters off the coast.

The Chief of Waterways Management for the 5th Coast Guard District John Walters said they look at "how any offshore structures may effect Coast Guard missions such as search and rescue, aids to navigation." Additionally, "We consider the available water depths to shipping and what access ships will need to Port of Hampton Roads."

There are three preliminary locations for test turbines being presented to the Department of energy.

One, closest to shore is near the Newport News side of the Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel.

Another potential test site is near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel between the fourth island and the North Channel Bridge.

The furthest from shore is 14 miles east of Virginia Beach, at the existing Chesapeake Bay Light.

A combination of the three may work as a national test facility because each could demonstrate different wind speeds. The Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition argues any location in Hampton Roads comes with an important asset.

"The infrastructure that supports the Navy is an ideal