(RALEIGH) -- Experts in North Carolina have been busy discussing ways to bring offshore wind energy to the East Coast. Brian O'Hare of the North Carolina Offshore Wind Coalition said wind energy is a good fit for the state.

"The size of the resource in North Carolina for offshore winds is really pretty staggering.  This state has the largest offshore wind resource of any state on the East Coast and it's by a pretty wide margin," said O'Hare.

Studies from UNC Chapel Hill and the National Energy Resources Laboratory show our state is uniquely positioned to be a regional leader in both renewable manufacturing and power generation.

But Daren Bakst of the conservative John Locke Foundation said wind power is not practical. "Basically you've got this source of energy, wind power, that nobody wants to buy.  The utility companies didn't want to have anything to do with it.  The legislature, a few years ago...it's a lousy product, but we're going to force utility companies to use wind power and then they can pass on those costs to electricity customers," said Bakst.

The Perdue Administration says offshore wind could go a long way in meeting the state's energy needs.