Graduation Year

2011

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

John Jurewitz

Reader 2

Richard Worthington

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Rights Information

© 2013 Eben Perkins

Abstract

Maine is at a crossroads in its energy future. With 80 percent of homes in the state heated by oil, the highest percentage in the country, Mainers find themselves addicted to imported energy and without a renewable powered heating alternative for the long, harsh winters. Enter offshore wind into the equation. A relatively unknown technology in the United States, offshore wind farms are currently powering one million homes in Europe. Furthermore, the Gulf of Maine has world class wind resources that could potentially provide double the power production of the state’s current peak electricity demand. Through eight weeks of research conducted in Portland, Maine, which consisted of a literature review and stakeholder interviews, I have identified and focused on the key opportunities and obstacles to successful offshore wind energy development in Maine in the short and long term.

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