“The Community Colleges are vital partners in the effort to ensure that Maine has the workforce necessary to meet the needs of the growing ‘green’ economy,” Commission Chair Sharon Reishus said. “The grants will enable these four campuses to expand their programs, reach more students, and ensure that this generation of students has the skills needed to participate in the developing energy efficiency and renewable energy sector of our economy.”

The $1.3 million which funds these grants is part of over $38 million administered by Efficiency Maine. This announcement marks the last of nearly two dozen separate energy efficiency initiatives that Efficiency Maine has launched to deploy ARRA funds.

The following Community Colleges will receive grant awards from Efficiency Maine:

· Northern Maine Community College (NMCC-Presque Isle) NMCC will use grant funds to support the campus construction cluster program established to build a greener workforce through revising building energy curricula, creating new hands-on opportunities in building science, and strengthening the College’s wind power program.

· Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC-Bangor) EMCC will develop a hands-on academic laboratory program in Building Science to complement the College’s degree program. All programs are tailored to the changing workforce development needs in the Bangor region.

· Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC-Fairfield) The KVCC grant will support the campus’ Renewable Energy Management (“REM”) component of the KVCC Energy Services and Technology Center in order to provide enhanced training for a skilled energy efficiency and renewable energy workforce.

· Southern Maine Community College (SMCC-South Portland) SMCC will establish the Building Science and Sustainability Program to train a large number of Maine students across various building trades in the theory and practice of building science, energy efficiency, weatherization and renewable energy.

Each winning Community College will implement plans to coordinate their program offerings with local schools and other college and university campuses.

One of the priorities of ARRA programs is that funding be targeted to appropriate job training activities. By developing a highly trained workforce, these Community College programs will contribute to the long term success of the energy efficiency and renewable energy economic sectors.

Commission Chair Sharon Reishus explained, “After a competitive bidding process, we are pleased to have identified 19 projects to receive these valuable funds. The projects all promise significant energy savings, carbon emission reductions and state economic stimulus–which are goals of our state energy policy and the federal program.”

The Commission’s Efficiency Maine worked with the Office of the Governor and the Legislature to set aside $2 million for commercial grants out of the approximately $40 million provided by ARRA for energy-related projects. Efficiency Maine also manages separate energy efficiency grants and incentive programs for the residential and industrial sectors.

Efficiency Maine’s Commercial Grant Program–which administers the grants announced today—allowed participants to apply for grants of up to $50,000. Applicants were required to demonstrate the ability to provide matching funds at least equal to the amount of grant funding requested. Importantly, the funding provided through these grants will leverage $1.28 million in additional private investment. Grant applications were scored on their technical viability, economic impact, energy savings, budget and qualifications of the delivery team. Winning proposals included boiler upgrades, solar thermal systems, and heat recovery projects.

Efficiency Maine will conduct a second round of grant applications for the Commercial Grant Program within the coming months.

In December, the Governor presented a plan to close a gap of $438 million in the current two-year State budget. Modestly improving revenues and increased federal support make it possible to mitigate the impact of some of the proposals.

On March 1, the Revenue Forecasting Committee upgraded Maine’s two-year revenue picture by $50.9 million. In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has made an administrative change in the federal Medicaid program that increased resources to Maine by $27.8 million.

“From the beginning, I have been committed to presenting a fiscally responsible plan to balance the State budget,” said Governor Baldacci. “The slight improvement in the economy and the increased assistance from the federal government allow us to address legitimate concerns in human services and education while also making investments in Maine’s long-term financial health. Most of the revisions are in aid to education. Our economy relies on us giving students the best education possible. The need to take care of our seniors is equally important, so changes have been made to maintain their quality of life.”

The Governor’s revisions:

• Restores $37 million in health and human services, including increased support for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, disability services, mental health crisis intervention and home-based services. It also proposes alternatives reductions of $13 million and new initiatives of $5.3 million.
• Restores $20 million for K-12 education for FY 2011.
• Restores $8 million for higher education for FY 2011 ($6 million for the University of Maine System; $1.7 million for Maine Community College System; and $267,139 for Maine Maritime Academy).
• Restores $6 million for municipal revenue sharing for FY 2010.
• Makes a $3.5 million payment for retiree health.
• Eliminates an $8.1 million payroll delay.
• Includes $1.75 million to fully fund the State’s obligation for disaster assistance.
• Includes $2.6 million to pay for a job creation bond package.

“I have placed a high priority on finding a bipartisan and cooperative path through these troubled economic times,” said Baldacci. “With these proposals, I believe we can give school districts and municipalities time to adjust to declining revenues, protect our core values and safeguard the State’s economy.

Sen. Bill Diamond, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said most of the changes are likely to be adopted by the full committee. He said the committee will continue to look for alternatives to some of the cuts that remain in the human services budget.

“There are still many hard decisions that must be made in this budget,” said Governor Baldacci. “But during this difficult economy, I will not support higher taxes. Maine families and businesses cannot afford a greater burden.”

Ryan Low, Commissioner of Finance, said, “We listened to the pubic and the legislature to strike the right balance for these changes. We can’t continue to cut programs year after year. Our revenues are at the level they were in 2001. We worked to restore and replace. So, we have restored as much as we could while replacing other areas of the budget with something that will produce savings on a continual basis. Instead of patching holes every time there is a shortfall we are proposing structural changes that will see savings over a long time. It doesn’t serve us to keep programs going for a few months and then having to yank them.”

The Governor talked about those structural changes.

“I am also including a number of savings initiatives in this package that will reduce costs going forward, particularly in the Department of Health and Human Services,” said the Governor. “They include increased efficiencies at Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, standardized rates and reduced per member/per month costs in MaineCare.

In addition to the restorations, the proposal also includes funding for a targeted investment package, which will focus on job creation.

“We have an opportunity to put people back to work, to create jobs and grow our economy,” said Governor Baldacci.

Details of the Governor’s investment proposal will be released next week.

For more information about the Governor’s change package, visit

http://www.maine.gov/budget/budgetinfo/2010supplemental.htm

“Small business owners tell me one of the biggest challenges they face right now is access to capital,” said Pingree. “These loan guarantees from the stimulus program are helping businesses that otherwise might not be able to get financing.”

Ron Blanchard of South Portland owns Running Hill Self Storage in Scarborough. He had plans, permits and financing set to build a new complex when the credit crisis struck and he lost his financing.

“If it wasn’t for this USDA Rural Development program the project wouldn’t have happened,” said Blanchard. “I would be deep in my investment and the land would be sitting there with nothing on it.”

Blanchard says about 60 people will be employed during construction of a new complex, thanks to $2.2 million in financing from Northeast Bank, guaranteed by the Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program through the Recovery Act.

Ocean Classroom is a non-profit educational organization that owns three vessels—the Westward, the Harvey Gamage and the Spirit of Massachusetts. Recently, Ocean Classroom moved its operation to Boothbay from Rhode Island and executive director Peter Neil said they were able to get $2.2 million in financing through a Maine-based bank—Camden National—because of the loan guarantees provided by the Recovery Act funding. Neil says the financing will help them preserve jobs and expand their program in Maine.

USDA Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel said, “This important announcement of investments through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act represents an opportunity that would not be possible without stimulus funds. I am so pleased USDA Rural Development, in partnership with local lenders, was able to assist these two Maine organizations in obtaining capital that will lead to job creation and economic growth in Maine.”

• Exclusive Interview with Gov. John Baldacci about Maine’s wind-energy potential and how the state will become an energy exporter

• The plan to close the budget gap – implementing more efficiencies will help

Editorial—
• Maine’s recovery – it started seven years ago

Maine is moving forward with the development of alternative energies. Recent accomplishments include:

• Fox Islands Electric Cooperative, a model for community wind development

• Offshore wind test sites are the beginning of Maine’s future exporting energy

• Brunswick Naval Air Station could become a green-energy hub

• Kibby Wind adds to Maine’s reputation as a wind-power generator

• Maine’s weatherization programs

• Expanded natural gas pipeline provides energy options

With wind development growing in Maine educational programs for wind-energy technology and wind-tower rescue are also on the rise with:

• Northern Maine’s Community College program,

• A specialized training programs for wind-energy technology and wind-tower rescue,

• and UMaine’s new graduate and undergraduate programs

Taking action for climate change legislation—

• Operation Free – defending America with climate-change action

The first step for the Maine Forest Initiative—

• Sustaining Maine’s forests – a model for the federal government

Businesses News—

• Maine Standard Biofuels of Portland, Maine

• $25 million to expand broadband to rural Maine

• Old Town Canoe stays in Maine and expands with Pine Tree Zone assistance

All photography in this issue by Ramona du Houx unless indicated

How important is deep ocean wind energy to Maine’s overall renewable energy plans?

“I truly believe that deep ocean wind will be the major resource of domestic renewable energy, for our region. We have a tremendous opportunity before us to export this resource to our region, and met our energy needs.

“Deep-sea ocean wind energy is the future. When I went to Norway and saw their floating wind turbine it stood before us, like the Washington Monument, my immediate reaction was to say, ‘this is the future.’ We have consistently strong winds offshore producing enough energy to power 149 nuclear power plants.

“We also have land-based wind energy, tidal, solar, wood, and energy-efficiency measures that will wean us off of importing foreign oil, while creating thousands of jobs that are good for the environment. This will turn our economy around; we’ll create jobs, instead of losing them because of inflated prices for oil from OPEC and other nations. And we will reclaim our energy independence.

“This is a national security, environmental security, and an economic development issue. It’s Maine’s security in the global economy.

“We need to act. We can’t be in a situation where our young men and women are being exposed to danger and sacrificing their lives because of foreign oil. That’s not what this country is all about.”

In November representatives from the Norwegian company that has the world’s first offshore wind prototype, Statoil, visited Maine after you invited them during your visit. What do you think their impressions were?

“Statoil is the company that is leading the world in deep-sea, wind-energy technology. When we went to Norway, we told them that they would like Maine, and the people of Maine. At the Blaine House reception Sjur Bratland said to me, ‘Governor you were right, right about the people, the location and opportunities.’ Frankly, we couldn’t have felt any better.

“We rolled out the red carpet. When you are dealing with counties like Norway, who have cutting-edge technologies that can help your economy, you want to get off on the right foot.”

*In October UMaine was awarded an $8-million grant from the Department of Energy. It was the only grant given to a state specifically for offshore, wind-technology research and development. How did working with the Norwegian’s facilitate the grant?

“The commitment from Statoil and UMaine to work together enabled UMaine to get the DOE research and development grant and recognition as the deep-sea research source. That was a major first step. There is a long-term program here for economic development.

“We will have the ability to manufacture windmill component parts, windmill blades, erect windmill platforms offshore, and work on a windmill research platform out in the Midcoast. It’s huge. We will be the go-to place for offshore wind development expertise, for the world.

“It means jobs for Maine contractors like Reed & Reed, Cianbro, Bath Iron Works, and others. Then there is the opportunity for more training in composites and engineering at Brunswick Naval Air Station with the Southern Maine Community College, and UMaine.”

Three offshore wind demonstration sites have been located off the coast, which was part of the agreement with Statoil. What else needs to be done?

“There will be a bond issue this June on the ballot, to continue the process to develop our deep-sea wind offshore sites. As difficult as the budget is, we are going to work together to make sure we are able to make an investment in UMaine to build these demonstration sites. This is an investment in Maine’s green energy future. To grow our economy we have to make key investments for all our futures.”

Some are asking, if we have the companies to build these sites, why should we continue to work with Statoil?

“Statoil has the expertise in doing this. If we didn’t seek to form an alliance, we would have had to start from scratch with an incremental baby-step approach to get to a full-scale platform anchored off the coast operating efficiently.

“We will be able to use all of their years of experience, expense and expertise, and leapfrog that timeframe to get to where we need to be, now. We want to continue to have them with us. It will be Maine companies and people building the windmills, working with Statoil in a collaborative effort to get this done.”

Are there other companies interested?

“There are a number of companies that are interested in the two demonstration offshore sites that are available for commercial testing. Statoil will work collaboratively with UMaine on the test site designated for university research and development.

“The other potential companies have made it clear that their interest is not only in the research side, they want to develop the technologies as well.”

After the demonstration platforms are up and running and tested over time, a 25-megawatt demonstration-floating farm, in federal waters, will be built. We’re not talking about next year—

“For the demonstration test turbines, we are. The plan calls for construction to start next year. The University will have their test turbines up by 2011. The long-term plan calls for 5 gigawatts of wind energy for $20 billion dollars for a 20-year investment, which will provide 15,000 jobs. Half of those jobs will be manufacturing windmill blades. The other half will be maintaining these sites.

“The plan also has electric heat pumps, eclectic cars, and much more as the increased demand for electricity grows. It’s a plan for Maine’s future, developed by Prof. Habib Dagher that is geared to deep-sea wind. We will be able to achieve it with our own resources, creating homegrown jobs. As we move forward, Habib’s research and vision will become Maine’s vision.”

When the representatives of Statoil visited you and Prof. Dagher took them on a tour of Maine’s manufacturing and educational infrastructure, which would be able to handle all the various stages of deep-sea wind development. By helicopter you viewed potential wind-development sites. Do you think Statoil saw Maine’s potential for offshore wind development?

“When we were in Norway, we saw their infrastructure; their land level facility, the windmill site in the North Sea, and the on going research and development. It was clear to us we had the assets to accomplish what they had, not all in one place, but we had them in key locations.

“We are looking at networking our assets, like we do in Maine. We have the composite technologies, which will make windmills stronger and more durable, at UMaine. Cianbro, in Brewer, manufactures modules. Their engineering expertise translates well to wind-farm development, along with their warehouse, maintenance, and launching facilities. And Bath Iron Works’ manufacturing capabilities are world-renowned; they could help launch the platforms and maintain them with specialized ships they would build. The windmills could be built in former hangers at Brunswick Navel Air Station, where the needed engineers and technicians could be educated as well.

“We can’t do it all at one site. We showed Statoil that we have a comparable or better ability to do what is necessary.

What about the fishermen concerned that offshore wind will hurt the industry?

“I want this to benefit them. Ground fishermen have had it hard recently, and lobster prices dropped with the recession. They, and I am, concerned about loosing their way of life that has existed for generations. They need another source of income. We’re working to make sure they receive benefits from off shore wind development, in the form of a monthly or yearly payment. We’re working on that internally. It will be part of legislation, put forward next session.”

Community wind —

Rep. Hannah Pingree, Gov. Baldacci, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, George Baker, and students celebrate the largest community wind development in NE on Vinalhaven.

“Building community wind farms will help communities become more energy independent and in time could bring in additional revenue. Sue Jones of Maine’s small wind initiative is helping community wind projects grow throughout the state.

“Farmers in Fort Fairfield are working with the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture to establish their own co-op. This will help them develop the same kind of community wind project that is up and running on Vinalhaven.

“The farmers see they have an opportunity to create their own power at half the rate that they are being charged. They can reduce payments to their own eclectic bills. So they become the electric company themselves.

“George Baker, the CEO on Vinalhaven, is looking to do the same thing on Mohegan Island, which just voted in favor of a wind island community project. I’m excited about that effort and what we are doing on the islands.”

What can the State do to help community wind projects?

“Our Department of Environmental Protection’s application process needs to be changed. It’s set up for large, industrial wind sites. These are smaller projects; the same standard needs to be maintained, but the application needs to be simplified and made a lot more affordable to farmers, communities, and individuals.

“I’ll be working with the Legislature to help refine that process.”

How does wind energy help Maine ratepayers?

“Wind is an endless natural resource that is beneficial for Maine ratepayers.

“Wind energy itself is displacing oil- and gas-fired electricity in the pecking order at the Public Utilities Commission. Seventy-five percent of your electrical bill is the cost of creating the energy for electricity. Oil and gas is the highest rung. So, the more wind energy you use, you displace oil and gas. And you help to stabilize any increases. Over time Maine’s eclectic charges will decrease substantially because of wind-energy development.

Fox Islands Electric Cooperative community wind turbines on Vinalhaven. “Building community wind farms will help communities become more energy independent and in time could bring in additional revenue,” said Baldacci

“The property taxes that wind farms are charged help reduce residential property taxes. Some of these funds go to projects communities want to do, but never had the revenue base before to accomplish them.

“The companies that build the windmills need workers to maintain them. They need the support of the local communities for goods and services, which helps with economic development. And many of these companies contribute to community projects.

“More renewable-energy investments means more economic development, which helps create new businesses and grows our businesses.”

Education —

You transitioned Maine’s technical colleges into community colleges when you first came to office. Thousands of students have since enrolled and gained degrees, with many earning BAs from the University of Maine after transferring their credits. You’re talking about transitioning the economy to a green-energy economy. To do that successfully, we need skilled workers. Do we have enough educational opportunities available for people wishing to earn incomes in the energy field?

“Community colleges are critical avenues to receive training in energy efforts. The Composites Alliance has been vitally important, empowering the curriculum in the community colleges. Maine’s Composites Alliance has partnered with SMCC and is teaching composite techniques that will be needed in wind-power manufacturing and maintenance. Other community colleges have specialized in weatherization, transmitting the training via the ATM system. Northern Maine Community College now offers a degree in wind-energy. Training in safety and composite maintenance is also ongoing. The collaboration with UMaine and SMCC at BNAS is geared for this.

“At the end of the day the thing that will better empower peoples futures is to give them the ability to have a good education and to be able to continue their education with new skills. That’s how they will be able to get better-paying jobs and benefits. I think we have been focused on that.”

Transmission lines —

Proposed transmission lines that would export clean electrical energy to the northeastern market are essential. Maine has a proposal to the federal government to have a transmission corridor through the state that would run from the northeastern Canadian provinces to New England markets. What is the transmission line update?

“There are two issues that need to be addressed. One is that we need to change the way transmission lines are presently set up, to make sure that if we have a brownout or a blackout, businesses, home owners, and families will have electricity and heat. The other is to make transmission lines accessible for offshore wind energy and wind energy that is being developed in Maine’s northern areas.

“The Green Line being developed in Wiscasset uses the old Maine Yankee lines to run an underwater cable from there to the Boston market. Then there is the transmission corridor that runs along Interstate 95. We are working with Bangor Hydro to use that network. That way revenues with lease agreements can be made, which in turn can help people weatherize homes and businesses.

“Wind companies and community wind projects have come to realize that they can’t wait for someone else to pay for the transmission. Some have decided to make transmission part of the cost of the product.”

The Midwestern states have a proposal that would cut off Maine and usurp the transmission corridor with their own, which would be coal based. North America’s largest utility company, Hydro Quebec, has purchased the transmission lines of New Brunswick Power. What does all this mean with regard to Maine and transmission access?

“We’re looking for opportunities with Hydro Quebec to use hydropower as a base power along with wind energy. This would enable us to showcase how our product would not need the coal-fired plants that the Midwest would use for their base to power their wind.”

Are you concerned that Hydro Quebec is now a monopoly?

“We will be meeting with Hydro Quebec over New Brunswick energy. That’s a discussion we will have to engage in. We need to welcome them, at the same time make sure there are checks and balances, so that electrical prices that will go down don’t jump back up because they are a monopoly.

“Transmission is critical. The legislative taskforce has made progress. The majority recognizes they can’t say no to everything; at the same time we need to make sure we strike a good deal for the citizens of Maine. Now it’s up to the Legislative Utilities Committee.

“We have a wonderful location. We are in the middle of everything. It’s all about location, location, location. There are real opportunities here.

“By harnessing all these energy resources, we will help people be warm, safe and secure in their homes. It will help businesses being more energy efficient, so they are spending less for energy, and we will grow our economy.”

Over 250 people gathered to celebrate the start-up of TransCanada’s $320-million Kibby Wind Power Project.

What do you think about being remembered the most for your work in a green-energy economy?

“I get very passionate about Civil Rights — individual rights. The next issue I’m passionate about is energy. We have put ourselves in a box as a country and state, being overly dependent for our whole economy on other counties for oil. Some of these nations don’t have our interest at heart and actually use the money to help fund terrorism. This is about our national security, economic independence, and creating good-paying jobs. We need to get off the oil habit and stop the degradation of the environment. Anything we can do to get off oil, I am passionate about.

“If I can be remembered for contributing to making Maine more energy efficient and energy independent then I feel I would be honored and humbled with that recognition.

“We’ve got more work to be done. In the session coming up, we will be working on making it easier for community wind projects. So, farmers, small landowners, islanders, communities, and towns can have a better opportunity to become clean-energy producers.

“Maine’s potential energy mix is great. Besides wind, we’ve got wood, tidal, and solar. We could be an energy powerhouse for the region; we could feed energy to Canada and the Northeast, working with our Canadian counterparts, to give those markets all the renewable energy they will ever need. We have a wonderful opportunity.”

Maine took another big step in becoming the first state to create offshore wind test and demonstration sites. During a press conference at the Statehouse, government officials and researches announced three sites where offshore wind prototypes will be constructed. The first of which will begin construction late in 2010.

According to Dr. Habib Dagher, director of UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, Maine could generate electrical energy from offshore wind equivalent to 149 nuclear power plants. The offshore wind potential of 100 gigawatts is three to four times the current peak demand for all of New England.

That’s a lot of energy, more than enough to power Maine homes and businesses with electrical heat and lights, as well as export it to New England and Canadian markets.

“Maine has great potential to be the leader in offshore wind development, and the selection of the demonstration sites is an important step toward that goal,” said Governor John Baldacci. “This is about economic development, environmental protection, and national security. This is important. It’s about all of our futures.”

Dr. Dagher said, “Our vision is to put Maine in front of the country and the world in the development of offshore wind power.”

The governor said there is strong interest in the private sector for using the test sites and that numerous companies have already contacted his office. Interested companies must undergo an extensive permitting process to be selected, and Dagher said UMaine will hold competitions for the proposals. The DeepCwind Consortium, which is working with Dagher, already includes about 30 businesses and organizations interested in this project.

According to Dagher, ever since the university won, against 42 competitors, a federal Department of Energy grant for $8 million to create the Maine Offshore Wind Energy Research Center, his phone began to ring with interested companies that want to be a part of this effort. “I have calls coming in so fast from companies in Maine and all over the country. People really see the importance of this,” he said.

The grant will go toward the development of the site off Monhegan Island, just 25 miles off Maine’s Midcoast, in an effort led by Dr. Dagher and his team at UMaine. The process will require future investments from the state, and there will be a bond proposal for it on the June ballot.

“This will be a key investment. This is one area where we know we can grow the state’s economy. Maine has a unique opportunity with wind development that we can’t afford to loose,” said the governor.

Statoil, a Norwegian company, developed the world’s only prototype offshore wind turbine, which Dagher and the governor saw in the North Sea. Statoil signed an agreement with UMaine and the state to help with Maine’s offshore wind test sites. This partnership was key in obtaining the DOE grant. The Norwegian company’s technology will be utilized at the offshore Monhegan Island site.

“Offshore wind development offers the most potential for Maine’s energy future,” said Dr. Dagher, as he explained the offshore wind development plan, beginning with the test sites identified

Monhegan Island recently approved a potential community wind project, modeled after the Fox Island cooperative on Vinalhaven.

“The Monhegan community was very supportive of the test site. They are looking at additional ways to make a living,” said Kathleen Leyden of the State Planning Office, the state agency along with the Department of Conservation. These state agencies held 40 community meetings near the proposed test sites, over the last four months, talking with fishermen, citizens, and local officials.

For fisherman worried about the disruption of the sites may have to their fishing grounds the governor said, “I want them to benefit from this. They should get a monthly or yearly payment (after commercialization). Ground fishing and lobstering have been having a hard time. This could help them diversify.”

Accordingly, a provision would be included into a bill to be introduced next session about offshore commercial wind sites. “This maybe be part of a trust fund,” said Leyden.

The other two sites off Damariscove Island near Boothbay and off Boon Island near York will be open for the private industry testing of two turbine designs, each for five years.

The UMaine site will be active for up to seven years. Dagher said he intends to erect three towers of different designs, looking for the best design that can endure the natural forces of the ocean for the lowest cost.

“We will be looking to see if it’s feasible to build the towers out of composites, making them more durable, weather resistant, and lighter, which would lower costs. Wind power is competitive with oil. Right now wind energy in Europe is driving down the cost of electricity,” said Dagher. “Offshore wind development offers the most potential for Maine’s energy is future.”

All three sites measure between one and two square miles and are in Maine’s territorial waters, permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Once a prototype has been tested to satisfaction, it would then be commercialized further out in deep-ocean federal waters. Located ten to twenty miles offshore, they will be beyond the horizon — out of sight and sound. The prototypes will be around 100 feet high; commercial wind turbines are estimated to be 300 feet.

In addition to wind research, all the sites can be used to test new wave-energy technology.