Wind turbines have been used for hundreds of years to pump water from wells, but they have only been used to produce electricity for about three decades.
Wind turbines require a sustained wind speed of 12.5 MPH to generate electricity cost efficiently. South Carolina wind resources are a viable economic energy resource, however, a scarcity of reliable documentation on local wind power has prevented it use. Marked advancements in recent years in wind turbine technology and wind mapping technology have greatly increased our ability to better locate and utilize this valuable renewable resource.
The SCEO partnered with Santee Cooper, the Wind Regulatory Task Force, Clemson’s Restoration Institute and others to produce a comprehensive set of wind studies for the state. These studies, and others, are available in the links below.
