. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. LEGAL. Kalhi MMief action fills the air at the McKimmon Center on a windy afternoon. North Carolina State University's conference center is best known for the meetings and activity inside — but today the action is outside in a nearby field. Atop a 30-meter tower in an open field, a weather vane spins with each wind gust. It is not a relic of the past, but a possible symbol of the future: its built-in anemometer could lead to a new type of renewable energy in North Carolina. "Anemometers could lead to
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. LEGAL. Kalhi MMief action fills the air at the McKimmon Center on a windy afternoon. North Carolina State University's conference center is best known for the meetings and activity inside — but today the action is outside in a nearby field. Atop a 30-meter tower in an open field, a weather vane spins with each wind gust. It is not a relic of the past, but a possible symbol of the future: its built-in anemometer could lead to a new type of renewable energy in North Carolina. "Anemometers could lead to people putting up wind turbines in wind-efficient areas of North Carolina," says Beth Mast, renewable energy specialist for the North Carolina Solar Center, headquartered at the McKimmon Center. Installed last summer by the Solar Center as part of its Coastal Wind Initiative, the anemometer collects wind speed data every two seconds for 10-minute intervals. The Coastal Wind Initiative is attempting to educate and create excitement among national developers and local residents about areas where wind speed has the potential to produce power. Wind maps of eastern North Carolina have been created for the Coastal Wind Initiative over the past couple of years. They have proved to be a useful tool for judging where wind power might be greatest in the state. Until recently, the only wind speed measurements in North Carolina were from generalized wind maps and didn't paint an accurate picture of larger areas. But experts say that certain regions in eastern North Carolina have great potential to harvest wind and convert it into energy. Most land areas in the coastal counties of Carteret and Hyde have Class 4 wind areas, according to a map created by NC State's Center for Earth Observation. The map also shows Class 5 wind areas in some spots off the coast, as well as Class 6 wind areas — the highest on the scale — offshore of the Outer Banks. The Solar Center, with funding
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionunclibra, booksubjectoceanography
