Achieving sustainable energy in the US requires transitioning between centralized fossil fuel infrastructure and emerging decentralized renewable solutions. However, this is complicated by existing infrastructure dependencies and challenges integrating different systems. Land-based wind is more decentralized but sets an unreliable precedent for governance, while offshore wind and marine hydrokinetics require new regulatory frameworks due to their environments and outputs.

1.  Achieving sustainable and secure energy in the
United States depends on the country’s ability to
move from or between two major obstructions:
 1. Existing centralized infrastructure for energy production
 2. The decentralized or distributed emerging energy
solutions
 Whether or not the U.S. can maneuver in an environment of
very central and slightly-to-very de-central systems is
complicated not only by existing infrastructures with
historically high momentum but in the challenges that
emerge between the new renewable systems.

2. Basic Wind Turbine Schematic, Courtesy of
Natural Resources Canada, 2012
Example of Offshore Tethered Wind Turbines,
Courtesy of Renewableenergyworld.com

3. Name The
Resource…
Schematics courtesy of National Renewable Energy Labs

4.  Considering the different forms of land masses is
crucial for a comparative study on such issues of
localization, usage and rights, and potential.
 Domains-The environments that renewable devices are installed on or
in
 Natural Resources-Wind, Current, Wave, Tide
 Behavior Distinctions
 Wind over Land
 Wind over Water (Offshore)
 Interaction of Wind AND Water
 Water (Current, Tide)
 To compare, it is appropriate to consider the systems
that exists first on land but are also transferrable to the
water domain.
 We govern likewise

5.  Land Based Wind
 Provides a proven path to move toward decentralized renewable sources
 BUT an unreliable precedent for governing and consumers
 local accessibility (through distributed units)
 broad usage and right structure (involvement and conflict of State and local governments)
 selectable energy output, contrast with the governance and adoption challenges for implementing ocean-
GOVERNING/REGULATORY BODIES
based technologies
 Distributed
 Decentralized
Offshore Wind
NEW/UNREFINED SET OF

 The mere presence of water creates disparity in adopting and investing in offshore wind
 No distributed units (unappealing to investors)
 Unique set of governing bodies (local communities with no local benefit)
 Non-selectable energy output
 Relatively low output=Centralized implementation strategy
 Require HVPL, TES
 Marine Hydrokinetics
 The greatest market barrier-potential energy production; hard break in engineering and design
from wind systems based on different resources
 No distributed unit
 Unique set of governing bodies
 Non-selectable energy output.
 Relatively low output=Centralized implementation strategy
 Unexplored conflict between state and federal ownership (eminent domain?) & Prohibitive Permitting
and Regulatory Process

6.  Land Based Wind
 Provides a proven path to move toward decentralized renewable sources
 BUT an unreliable precedent for governing and consumers
 local accessibility (through distributed units)
 broad usage and right structure (involvement and conflict of State and local governments)
 selectable energy output, contrast with the governance and adoption challenges for implementing ocean-
GOVERNING/REGULATORY BODIES
based technologies
 Distributed
 Decentralized
Offshore Wind
NEW/UNREFINED SET OF

 The mere presence of water creates disparity in adopting and investing in offshore wind
 No distributed units (unappealing to investors)
 Unique set of governing bodies (local communities with no local benefit)
 Non-selectable energy output
 Relatively low output=Centralized implementation strategy
 Require HVPL, TES
 Marine Hydrokinetics
 The greatest market barrier-potential energy production; hard break in engineering and design
from wind systems based on different resources
 No distributed unit
 Unique set of governing bodies
 Non-selectable energy output.
 Relatively low output=Centralized implementation strategy
 Unexplored conflict between state and federal ownership (eminent domain?) & Prohibitive Permitting
and Regulatory Process