Edgartown's foray into the relatively young world of renewable energy is part of a joint effort between the Vineyard town, the Nantucket Planning & Economic Development Commission and the Nantucket Board of Selectmen.

Together, the two towns are seeking to share an ocean area between the two islands in Muskeget Channel where Edgartown wants to put tidal generators and Nantucket, wind turbines.

Nantucket town planner Andrew Vorce said the cooperative energy agreement between Nantucket and Edgartown is a great regional effort.

Edgartown's project, which filed for a permit with FERC on Sept. 12, 2007, calls for 50 tidal generators from the Ocean and Renewable Power Company, LLC, each generating 20 megawatts of power for a total of 50.46 gigawatts, which Edgartown will sell to its local power provider. Athreemile submarine power line will connect the installation to the Vineyard's power grid.

With this preliminary permit, Edgartown has three years to find a suitable site for the tidal energy installation and 45 days to file with FERC its work schedule that must include a notice of intent and a pre-application document that must be filed within one year. The next steps for Edgartown are working on a funding plan, determining where the tidal currents are the strongest and most consistent in Muskeget Channel, and selecting a site for the tidal generators.

Vorce said that Nantucket will follow the same path, but instead must locate a one-square-nautical-mile area for its wind turbines within an already allotted threesquare nautical-mile area, sharing the same portion of Muskeget Channel with Edgartown's tidal generators.

Currently, the NP&EDC and the town are seeking funding and consultants to do the required environmental studies for 

Nantucket's part of the project.

Source: NantucketIndependent.com 

---