clean energy
According to statistics South Carolina residents spend nearly $20 billion a year on energy, ranking 15th nationally for per capita energy consumption.
Also, because South Carolina has no conventional energy resources of its own, all coal, oil, natural gas, etc. must be imported into the state which only increases the total costs of these resources (SC Energy Office).
Energy conservation and the exploration of alternative energy sources are becoming more relevant and feasible as the cost of energy increases.
The purpose of this page is to give you, the visitor, some basic information and definitions in order for you to develop informed opinions on the best way for you to make a contribution to conserving energy and supporting alternative energy initiatives that are both economically and environmentally advantageous.
Clean energy can be generally defined as energy from renewable sources such as biomass, wind, or solar power. The goal of clean energy is to have a low environmental impact, with low or zero emissions, and a minimal impact on the physical surroundings.
Hydropower can be defined as clean energy due to zero emissions, but today's hydropower still often has substantial impacts on aquatic ecosystems.
Waste-burning and wood-burning plants that capture emissions can be clean energy generators.
Fossil fuels do not provide clean energy because of their emissions and environmental impact.
For more information on renewable energy sources go to the SC Energy Office website.
