Black River Electric Cooperative and Santee Cooper Dedicate Green Power Solar School at Hillcrest Middle School
March 16, 2009
Phase 2 of innovative environmental program continues
DALZELL, SC – March 16, 2009 – Black River Electric Cooperative, Santee Cooper and Sumter School District Two dedicated a Green Power Solar School today at Hillcrest Middle School.
Children, educators, and utility representatives gathered near the tall black solar array that will produce electricity from the sun’s rays.
The Green Power Solar Schools initiative is designed to encourage interest in the environment and demonstrate the feasibility and limitations of renewable power generation. Each Green Power Solar School receives a 2-kilowatt solar power system, which will provide a teaching, research and hands-on demonstration opportunity for students. The project uses a new renewable energy curriculum designed especially for the program that meets state science standards. Each school program is supplemented by an Internet-based monitoring system that provides real-time access to information on the system’s performance as well as other solar schools in South Carolina.
“Black River Electric Cooperative is pleased to be a partner in this innovative program for our young people. We can’t think of a better way to help discover solutions to the energy challenges before us than to work with these young people. We know their educational experience will be enriched through this program,” said C.H. Leaird, Black River Electric Cooperative CEO.
Green Power Solar Schools represents one way that Santee Cooper and the state’s 20 electric cooperatives promote renewable energy, and it fulfills Santee Cooper’s commitment to reinvest Green Power funds back into renewable resources across South Carolina. In September 2001, Santee Cooper became the first electric utility in the state to generate and offer Green Power to its customers from methane gas collected at the Horry County Solid Waste Authority Landfill near Conway. Since then, three additional landfills in Lee, Richland and Anderson counties have opened, as has the 16-kilowatt solar installation at Coastal Carolina University. Another landfill methane gas generating site has been announced in Georgetown County. Santee Cooper, all 20 electric cooperatives and The City of Georgetown market Green Power to their customers.
Renewable energy exploration and conservation are important components that will impact the growing electricity needs in our state. It’s critical that we challenge tomorrow’s leaders to think about energy sources that will benefit future generations,” said Lonnie Carter, president and chief executive officer of Santee Cooper.
“Exposing young people to this solar technology will bring excitement and added learning dimensions to the classroom experience. Both teachers and students will benefit from this partnership,” said Dr. Frank Baker, superintendent of Sumter School District Two.
Five additional schools, served by Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative and Laurens Electric Cooperative, became Green Power Solar Schools in 2007. Coastal Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative, Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Horry Electric Cooperative, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Santee Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative, York Electric Cooperative, dedicated their Green Power Solar Schools in 2008.
Santee Cooper recently unveiled Santee Cooper Green, a utility-wide commitment bringing together all the eco-friendly, conservation-minded approaches that Santee Cooper practices and all the programs and opportunities for its customers to “go green.” More information can be found at www.SanteeCooperGreen.com
Black River Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, nonprofit electric cooperative serving more than 30,000 accounts in Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, and Sumter counties. Visit www.blackriver.coop for more information.
Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility, and the state’s largest power producer, supplying electricity to more than 163,000 retail customers in Berkeley, Georgetown, and Horry counties, as well as to 29 large industrial facilities, the cities of Bamberg and Georgetown, and The Charleston Air Force Base. Santee Cooper also generates the power distributed by the state’s 20 electric cooperatives to more than 700,000 customers in all 46 counties. Approximately 2 million South Carolinians receive their power directly or indirectly from Santee Cooper. The utility also provides water to 137,000 consumers in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, and the town of Santee.
For more information, visit www.santeecooper.com. For information on how Santee Cooper lives green and how you can go green, visit www.SanteeCooperGreen.com.
