Oct 30, 2008 4:15 pm US/Pacific
Controversial Plan May Harness Energy Of CA Waves
FORT BRAGG (CBS 5) ―
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Waves off the California Coast May soon be harnessed for electricity.
AP
The state Public Utilities Commission is expected to take a critical step forward in the construction of giant wave energy power plants.
PG&E and the federal government are studying the possibility of placing giant wave generators that what look like giant orange submarines strung together like sausages that could potentially generate enough power to light up thousands of homes.
The generators would be placed in the pacific waters off of Fort Bragg in Mendocino County and Eureka in Humboldt County. But the promise of clean power is not without controversy.
In Fort Bragg, Many locals will tell you they worry that the wave machines will disturb whales that migrate twice each year off the Mendocino coast.
If Wave Energy does float in California, it's expected that private industry would foot the bill to build the offshore power plants.
There are 745 miles of coastline in California, and the California Energy Commission estimates that wave energy generated off our coast could generate up to 23 percent of electricity needs.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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