The company’s consultant Billy Combs said that the feasibility study would take two years to determine whether it is worth building the farm to provide electricity.

The request for the resolution came from the Gulf Coast Water Authority as it entered into an agreement to let Duke Energy for conducting the study.

Galveston county commissioners also endorsed the study.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken Clark objected to language in the resolution of the county that seemed to “read like a sales brochure for Duke Energy” and might have led some to think commissioners were endorsing the company instead of the concept of promoting more “green energy” production.

Clark got the county resolution part removed that appeared to knock oil refining as a means of energy production.