Friday’s editorial takes a look at
proposals to allow third-party businesses to lease solar panels to S.C.
consumers:
Solar power certainly isn’t perfect.
Those pesky clouds, for instance, can be a major problem. But it is one more
bullet in the renewable energy gun and one more way to take advantage of a
constantly replenished source of energy that will move us closer to the goal of
energy independence.
The problem in South Carolina? Solar power has largely
remained the province of utilities, large businesses and a few wealthy
homeowners. The biggest solar project in the state, at Boeing’s plant in North Charleston, for
instance, makes up about 65 percent of the entire state’s solar capacity, which
tops out around 4 megawatts. Santee Cooper’s largest solar project, located in Myrtle Beach just south
of The Sun News, can generate about a third of a megawatt. Compare that to the
26,000 megawatts produced in the state from all energy sources and it becomes
clear that the sun isn’t exactly a major part of South Carolina’s energy solution.
Could you use a nice breeze these days? Us too, as Sunday’s editorial explains:
It’s hot. And sticky. There’s little to no rain on the horizon. And none of us like it much.
If you don’t believe us, check Twitter. Online salons such as Twitter and Facebook have tallied more than 4 million references to the heat so far this month, according to Mastermind Marketing, which tracks social media. The weather is outpacing talk of the debt ceiling in Washington 24 to 1.
Friday’s editorial celebrates a number of recent steps forward in powering our region through alternative energy:
It feels almost unnecessary to reinforce the importance of preserving our environment to coastal residents. The livelihoods of those on the coast have been tied to the natural world for centuries and will continue to be long after today’s Earth Day has passed.
The recent census numbers attest to the continuing rapid expansion of our region, with many newcomers no doubt drawn by the natural beauty of our beaches and waterways. As we burst our historical bounds, it’s important we do it deliberately and smartly, and that we don’t squander the natural resources we steward.
Wednesday's editorial highlights the many benefits of exploring wind power off the coast of Georgetown.
Economic blows have come in cascades
in Georgetown of late, as its port and steel mill have alternated over
recent months with ever-worsening news for their employees.
These
woes reflect the weakened state of American industry and will thus be
difficult for local leaders to counter, though some are valiantly
trying. A report this weekend, however, suggested one bright hope on
the horizon: the wind-energy industry.
Today's editorial takes local electric and water utilities to task for refusing to submit to Horry County review of water towers, electric substations and other installations:
The good folks who run our local electric and utilities seem to have fallen prey to corpthink: mimicking corporate-utility execs who feel accountability to investors but not ratepayers. How else can their refusal to submit to Horry County participation in electric and water installations be interpreted?
Today's editorial notes that there are limits to what government should do to assist local folks unhappy about utility construction projects:
Should government ask more of utility companies that install necessary facilities near residential areas? Yes, with an asterisk.
This issue is hot right now because two utilities, the Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority and the Horry Electric Cooperative, need to install new infrastructure near fast-growing residential areas. The construction -- the water tower in process near The Farm subdivision in Carolina Forest and an electrical substation to be built near the Wynbrooke subdivision -- would benefit these new residents.
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