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Wind Power News: South Carolina
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
Letter to Environment for the Americas
We are pleased to announce that the 2023 World Migratory Bird Day campaign will focus on the topic of water and its importance for migratory birds. Water is fundamental to life on our planet. The vast majority of migratory birds rely on aquatic ecosystems during their life cycles. Inland and coastal wetlands, rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, and ponds are all vital for feeding, drinking, or nesting, and also as places to rest and refuel during their long journeys. Unfortunately, aquatic . . . Complete story »
Biden ’emergency’ offshore wind push faces Trump roadblock
As part of his efforts to take executive action to address climate change, President Joe Biden said yesterday he would advance offshore wind development for Southeastern states – a prospect seemingly prohibited by a moratorium signed by his predecessor. Wind advocates said they aren’t ready to celebrate yet, instead focused on maintaining a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act currently moving through Congress to reverse the 10-year ban on offshore energy development in the southern Atlantic Ocean signed by former . . . Complete story »
U.S. offshore wind plans collide with fishing concerns off Carolina coast
The Biden administration’s plans to develop wind power off the East Coast are drawing concerns from the fishing industry, in the latest example of climate policy colliding with the livelihood of coastal businesses. The Interior Department is set Wednesday to begin an auction for the rights to develop a 110,000-acre site off the Carolinas. The site is nearly the size of eight Manhattan islands about 20 miles offshore and could generate more than 1.3 gigawatts of energy at full capacity . . . Complete story »
Feds to push wind farm lease sale offshore of SC’s northern edge
The long-dormant effort to install wind turbines offshore of the Carolinas is receiving a new push from the Biden administration, which is seeking to start leasing waters for wind farms. The federal Department of the Interior announced Oct. 28 it’s proposing a lease sale for part of the Carolina Long Bay area, a swath of water that spans the ocean off both North Carolina and South Carolina. The section up for lease is at South Carolina’s northern border, southeast of . . . Complete story »
Trump’s offshore oil ban to halt coastal wind farms too
President Donald Trump’s decision to rule out energy development along the coasts of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas will bar not just offshore oil and gas drilling – but coastal wind farms too. The broad reach of Trump’s recent orders, which was confirmed by the Interior Department agency that oversees offshore energy development, comes as renewable developers are spending hundreds of millions of dollars snapping up the rights to build wind farms along the U.S. East Coast. At issue are recent . . . Complete story »
Dominion bills have soared — and are set to rise even faster, officials say
The SCC report said Dominion’s latest long-term plan, which details a multi-billion-dollar investment in renewable energy, will boost the average residential customer’s monthly bill from $116.69 now to more than $168 by 2030. Complete story »
Wind turbine movement for offshore South Carolina possible training threat to the military
The new hurdle to placing wind turbine towers offshore flies at 1,000 mph and carries a cannon. The bigger the turbine blades, the more they could disrupt military training – everything from low-altitude maneuvers by jet fighters, to the use of radar. The bigger the blades, the more power they generate, a key factor in whether a company decides to build towers off the South Carolina coast where the winds are considered marginal. As the emerging wind industry eyes taller towers . . . Complete story »
Duke Energy Carolinas withdraws proposal to purchase wind power
Duke Energy Carolinas has quietly abandoned plans for purchasing up to 500 megawatts worth of wind power capacity for the Carolinas by 2022 after finding the initial bids from producers “not economically attractive.” Eleven months ago, Duke issued a request for proposals on wind power, expected to come from outside of North Carolina. It proposed offering power-purchase agreements of up to 20 years to buy wind power from projects, likely in the Midwest, that could be brought into the state. . . . Complete story »
South Carolina House stalls renewable energy tax breaks that solar advocates wanted, halting bill this year
COLUMBIA – After receiving wide-spread support in the Senate more than three months ago, state representatives derailed a pro-solar energy bill that would reduce property taxes for renewable energy projects in South Carolina. A House subcommittee chaired by Rep. Brian White, R-Anderson, voted to end debate on the sought-after legislation, which solar industry officials say could increase investment of renewable energy projects in the state – a sector that is worth billions of dollars. The proposed law would allow commercial-sized solar projects . . . Complete story »
New federal rule loosens industry restrictions to protect eagles
The once-endangered bald eagle has run smack into human progress. Federal regulators have approved a controversial proposal to allow the take, or unintended killing, of the protected birds without penalty, under a single permit issued for as long as 30 years. In contrast, a hunter killing an eagle without a permit could be fined $15,000 and jailed for six months. In other “take” cases, a permit is required for each kill. The loosening of permit restrictions is designed, like the . . . Complete story »
