Most Americans are familiar with the land-based wind energy turbine. Fewer are acquainted with its off-shore cousin. The ocean makes up 73% of the earth’s surface, hence off-shore wind energy potential is enormous—several times again the energy requirement of the entire world. A wind farm is unobtrusive, assuming placement of turbines 10 or 100 miles from shore. One wind farm complex alone—comprised of 250 or 300 wind turbines—can produce as much electricity as is produced annually in a nuclear power plant. Off-shore wind energy is clean and renewable. If implemented on a large scale, it alone could fulfill 100% of the energy requirement of the United States.
(Wind Farm)
What will this look like? If wind turbines are placed 2-3 miles offshore, they would still be very visible because of their size. The picture below is of the UK’s largest offshore wind farm at Scroby Sands, generating power for as many as 41,000 homes.
Alternatively, turbines placed further out to sea would perfrom as effectively, while protecting the valuable appearance from out beloved coastlines.