[TigersEye]

Simply harnessing the wind in relatively shallow waters -- the most accessible and technically feasible sites for offshore turbines -- could produce at least 20% of the power demand for most coastal states, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said,...

Could? That's strong. 20%? That isn't quite 100% is it? Of coastal states? So interior states aren't even considered when talking about "meeting U.S. electrical needs?" That has to make it easier.

Apart from that nitpicking; I wonder how saturated with windmills America's coastal waters would need to be to provide "20% of the coastal states" electricity.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

I have no doubt that if you put solar collectors on the roof tops of all the homes on the Southwest you would have enough electricity to power the nation. But who’s footing the bill?

[dajeeps]

“Apart from that nitpicking; I wonder how saturated with windmills America’s coastal waters would need to be to provide “20% of the coastal states” electricity.”

It seems kind of strange that they would put wind turbines out there when they could harness the energy from the waves without the arial mess.

[okie01]

Apart from that nitpicking; I wonder how saturated with windmills America's coastal waters would need to be to provide "20% of the coastal states" electricity.

One more nitpick. A rather major nitpick, at that.

Every watt of wind generated power must be backed up by an equivalent watt of conventionally generated power. Otherwise, on those days when the wind stops blowing (or is blowing too hard), the coastal states would have no choice but to go dark.

The exact same is also true for solar generated power. No back-up, no "on" switch.