Wind energy in SC stalled by federal opposition. Five things to know

Small turbines spin at North Myrtle Beach access points as part of South Carolina’s decades-long effort to tap wind power. Despite world-class testing facilities and years of research, the state remains one of just six in the U.S. without usable wind energy generation.

FULL STORY: SC has studied wind energy for almost 20 years. Why there’s still no pay-off

Here are key takeaways:

• North Myrtle Beach embraced wind early, partnering with Santee Cooper to install small turbines at three beach-access locations. City leaders even pursued a proclamation to become a wind-powered city — the only coastal community in the state to say “yes.”
• The Grand Strand was identified as especially promising for offshore wind, with shallow continental shelf depths that would lower construction costs and a relatively new power grid capable of absorbing major new energy without expensive overhauls.
• South Carolina Act 318 launched the state’s wind study in 2008, producing 18 recommendations and years of mapping, feasibility research and wind-speed testing — much of it funded by federal grants totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Clemson University opened one of the world’s most advanced wind turbine testing facilities in 2013, built with $45 million from the U.S. Department of Energy plus $53 million in state and private funding, and it now serves a global market.
• Political shifts have repeatedly stalled progress, with the Trump administration extending an offshore leasing moratorium and canceling wind leases in other states. Researcher Paul Gayes says South Carolina likely won’t see offshore production for another 15 years.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at the top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.