Under the Dome

PolitiFact: Is North Carolina a top state for offshore wind?

The Associated Press

It’s not just more hot air from a politician: North Carolina really is a top state for offshore wind farms.

Rep. Duane Hall, a Democrat from Raleigh, saw that the country’s first wind farm was built last month and said North Carolina should be next, since it was “possibly the best place” in the U.S. for offshore wind energy.

People who complain about blustery days at the beach now have this fact-check from PolitiFact NC to back them up: Hall’s claim was ruled Mostly True.

Read the full story to find out what’s keeping it from being the absolute best state in the country for offshore wind – and where on the coast the state’s first offshore wind turbines will likely be built.

Doran: 919-836-2858; Twitter: @will_doran

PolitiFact NC

Speaker: Rep. Duane Hall

Statement: North Carolina’s coast “is possibly the best place in (the) U.S. for an offshore windfarm.”

Ruling: North Carolina doesn’t have the most total wind power or the windiest individual areas. But it does have attractive geographical factors in its favor, like fairly strong winds along a long, shallow coast. We rate this claim Mostly True.

This story was originally published September 11, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "PolitiFact: Is North Carolina a top state for offshore wind?."

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