In recent years, our Atlantic coastline has been a subject of study for capturing wind energy. Clemson University is engaged in the study of wind energy with the start of the Research Center here on the former Navy Shipyard. The most recent development is the DOE’s announcement of their plan to fund a research and demonstration of Offshore Wind energy with $180 million dollars over the next six years. $20 million dollars will be available this year for preliminary research. The intent of the appropriations is to develop power grid systems for wind energy along the mid-Atlantic coastline. See the DOE press release. It is not clear exactly how this would affect the South Carolina coastline, but it is clear that wind energy is gaining support for the Eastern part of the US. Currently the mid-west and western states are leading the charge in wind energy.