Well I’m back after a week off, but it was good to read last week’s “SC must kick costly coal habit” from the Post & Courier.

My take away from the article was this piece I feel we are really missing out on here in SC – offshore wind power:

Now is not the time for South Carolina to beg off from meeting expected federal renewable energy standards. Wind alone has the potential to bring ten to twenty thousand manufacturing jobs to South Carolina, according to a study conducted by former Clemson professor, Dr. Nick Regas. He estimated that offshore wind could supply 20 percent of the state’s energy at a cost of $3 million to $5 million per megawatt of installed capacity. That figure compares favorably against a new coal plant — $1.8 billion for 600 megawatts of wind versus $1.3 billion for 600 megawatts of dirty coal for a new plant.

It was mentioned in an earlier post how wind power in SC would be a great source of energy for all of us – especially after reading that other places have already started using it.

I’ll be attending the Common Agenda meeting Upstate tomorrow to learn more.

If we implemented a program to use even a fraction of the offshore wind South Carolina has to offer, something similar to Massachusetts’ Cape Wind project perhaps, it would not only create plenty of jobs for it’s research, design, manufacturing, and maintenance here for South Carolina, but also help the environment by using a 100% reusable natural resource, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.

While the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) used wasn’t a decision-making document, the analysis conducted was to determine whether a recent wind farm proposal Massachusetts made was environmentally sound or not.
Here are some major points from the study:

1. Cape Wind will reduce regional air pollution emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury, pollutants that harm human health.
2. Cape Wind will reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change by 880,000 tons per year.
3. Building Cape Wind will create hundreds of jobs and generate over a half-billion dollars in non-labor purchases in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
4. Cape Wind will not increase energy prices in New England and could help to lower energy clearing prices.
5. Most of Cape Wind’s electricity will be consumed on Cape Cod and the Islands where it will supply ¾ of that region’s electricity and improve electric transmission performance.
6. Cape Wind will have a substantial positive impact on electrical generating capacity and help Massachusetts achieve its renewable energy requirements under the State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.
7. Cape wind will have no major impacts on navigation, fishing, or tourism.

“This report validates the project will create new jobs, increase energy independence and fight global warming while being a good neighbor to the ecosystem of Nantucket Sound.”
– Jim Gordon, project developer

As usual, there are critics to new ideas – this time it’s offshore wind power:

1. the Coast Guard worries of potential radar interference to vessel navigation, and
2. the FAA worries of potential impacts to the flights, including the “potential for physical and/or electromagnetic interference to radar systems”.

So, like all things political, these items may take time – 7.5 years so far – but it looks like Cape Wind will be done with their permitting process by March. Once that’s complete, hopefully Massachusetts will have our nation’s 1st offshore wind farm – wouldn’t it be great if South Carolina was 2nd?

South Carolina + Wind Power = A GOOD THING!

See also: The Potential Economic Impact of an Off-Shore Wind Farm to South Carolina