Maine waters, wind touted as untapped energy

[jpak]

http://bangornews.com/news/t/midmaine.aspx?articleid=165602&zoneid=182

NORTHPORT, Maine - The winds and waters of coastal Maine offer a promising yet untapped alternative to the fossil fuels that are driving the nation into what could be a historic energy crisis, experts said Thursday.

<snip>

By comparison, the deep coastal waters of Maine have the potential to generate 133 gigawatts — or 133,000 megawatts — in wind energy, according to Walter Musial, senior engineer with the National Wind Technology Center within the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

<snip>

While no offshore wind farms are currently in the works for Maine waters, several projects to generate energy from tides or waves are in early development.

The Ocean Renewable Power Co. recently completed a pilot project using underwater turbines in Western Passage and Cobscook Bay near Eastport.

<more>

[Zachstar]

1. At what cost and who is paying for it.

What happens to all the pollution creating such wind energy extraction devices.