Looking across the calm, smooth Atlantic waters from the docks of the small island town of New Shoreham, Rhode Island, it may be hard to tell, but preparations are well underway for the nation's first offshore wind farm to begin operating here before the year ends.

An energy revolution is happening east of Long Island. In the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Deepwater Wind is constructing the nation's first offshore wind farm -- five wind turbines off Block Island, Rhode Island.

The U.S. could learn a thing or two from the Danes.

The economics are interesting. Today, Block Island has no electrical connection to the mainland, so its power comes from expensive and environmentally unfriendly diesel generation, which the Block Island Power Company bills at 24 cents per kilowatt-hour in peak season.