Renewable energy is defined as an energy resource that can be produced indefinitely without being depleted.
Much of the electricity in South Carolina is currently generated by coal, oil, or natural gas, also known as fossil fuels, which are finite resources. Once burned, those resources will take millions of years to replenish. Additionally, the emissions produced by burning fossil fuels negatively impact the environment.
South Carolinians consume about 62 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity and 1.4 billion therms of natural gas a year producing a total of 35 million pounds of carbon monoxide and 150 billion pounds of carbon dioxide.
Some of the renewable resources available in South Carolina include:
