The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy will be participating in the Tybee Island Water and Energy Fair sponsored by the Tybee Island Community Resource Committee. Anna Cayce Smit, Clean Energy Associate for SACE, will be leading a workshop on offshore wind energy opportunities in Georgia and will be available to answer questions at SACE’s booth.
“ The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy appreciates the opportunity to promote offshore wind through the Tybee Island Water and Energy Fair ,” said Smit . “ As a coastal community, Tybee Island faces unique threats from climate change impacts, most notably sea level rise. Offshore wind energy represents a vast clean energy resource that, if developed responsibly, could significantly help in the fight against climate change. This year’s fair theme, ‘Know Your Impact,’ highlights how our daily choices impact energy and water consumption, and also how we can have a positive impact on our elected officials in crafting favorable clean energy policies .”
This fair presents an opportunity to educate community members on offshore wind energy, which is not only clean and renewable but, unlike coal-fired power plants or nuclear reactors, does not consume water during energy production. Studies suggest Georgia may have up to 14,500 megawatts of developable offshore wind potential—enough to provide a third of the state’s electricity needs. For every 1,000 megawatts of wind energy, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that Georgia could annually save 1,628 million gallons of water and 3 million tons of carbon dioxide. Based on studies on the European offshore wind workforce, each megawatt of offshore wind energy could support 20 jobs here in Georgia.
[mappress] Offshore Wind Staff, February 7, 2012