Capturing wind to power the future By Molly Parker mparker@scbiznews.com
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uoys floating off the coasts of Georgetown and Myrtle Beach are collecting data that could eventually allow the state to churn offshore winds into power. The six buoys — three off Winyah Bay and three off North Myrtle Beach — are equipped with anemometers measuring the frequency, speed and direction of the winds offshore. The buoys were deployed in July as part of South Carolina’s steps toward determining whether an offshore wind farm could become a viable source of alternative energy in the state. The buoys are transmitting live data back to shore that university researchers are continuously dissecting in an effort to determine if — and if so, where — a wind farm would make sense. “I think the results are on par with what was expected, which is good news. There certainly is an economic resource off the coast,” said Paul Gayes, director of the Center for Marine and Wetland Studies at Coastal Carolina University. In both locations, the buoys are situated 1.5 miles, three miles and six miles
from the beach, Gayes said. “It’s just, How close to the coast can you get?” Santee Cooper is leading the Palmetto Wind Research Project in partnership with Coastal Carolina University, North Carolina State University and the S.C. Energy Office. Santee Cooper’s wind energy research project started several years ago, when the utility placed anemometers in several locations to determine whether an inland wind farm could ever become a viable power source. “What we’ve learned from the landbased wind anemometers is there isn’t sufficient utility-scale wind to turn big wind turbines. So we are looking offshore,” Santee Cooper spokeswoman Mollie Gore said. The data collected by the buoys will help Santee Cooper determine where to place an anemometer station that is expected to cost about $1 million. Requests for proposals on this project were sent out in August. Gore said a company will be selected soon. “The first question is, Is the wind there? The second question is, How do See WIND, Page A15
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Sustainable cities he cities of Charleston and North Charleston have been leading the way in sustainable development, green building and energy conservation for years. Early this decade, for example, the city of Charleston embarked on a facilities overhaul that would eventually represent a $17 million investment in energy efficiency. About the same time, the city of North Charleston staked its future economic viability on the principles of sustainable development, and, according to one official, it has “put its money where its mouth is.” A new, 150,000-square-foot green City Hall is the latest example. Thanks to money from this year’s economic stimulus package, both cities are getting an infusion of cash from the federal government to further advance projects that reduce energy consumption. Those projects will do more than save the environment, city leaders say. In the long run, they will also save taxpayers money.
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Inside: Charleston’s commitment to sustainability effort is wide-ranging, ambitious. Page A4 On the green front, North Charleston leads by example. Page A6 Above: North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. (Photo/Chrys Rynearson) Left: Bryan Sheehan, the city of Charleston’s first sustainability director. (Photo/Leslie Halpern)
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A2 Charleston Green Guide
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That’s why the Charleston Regional Business Journal decided to create the Charleston Green Guide. We hope the stories on the following pages will help you learn more about what local governments, businesses and individuals are doing to make our region a little greener — and what you can do to pitch in. In addition, we have compiled several lists that will be helpful in identifying businesses in the region that are involved in sustainability efforts at various levels.
plans for commercial and institutional clients. EEA also provides technical expertise for renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, biomass and tidal. EEA assists clients in composing proposals for state and federal energy projects and was recently successful in obtaining stimulus funding from the South Carolina Department of Energy for Jasper and Beaufort County School Districts. The
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General Contractors (LEED). For a limited time, you may download these lists for free. Simply go to www.scbiznews.com/data.
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A1
Sustainable cities
A4
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Charleston Green Guide A3
A4 Charleston Green Guide
Charleston’s commitment to sustainability effort is wide-ranging, ambitious By Ashley Fletcher Frampton Rampart Construction is leading the way in South Carolina when it comes to Green Building, with the first Gold Certified Project in Charleston under the National Green Building Standard adopted earlier this year and with certified projects on Kiawah, Folly Beach, Bowens Island and IOP. The Rampart Team specializes in Sustainable Building Solutions including Coastal Custom Homes, Commercial Projects, Tenant Upfits, Renovations and can evaluate your project and make recommendations prior to final design.
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he city of Charleston’s commitment to environmental sustainability ranges from the small and simple to the bold and ambitious. Small steps include printing on both sides of paper and turning off office lights when leaving. Then there’s the city’s $16.8 million overhaul of public buildings to cut out wasteful energy use. And its pledge to reduce citywide carbon emissions to 7% less than 1990 levels by 2012, which was called for in a U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement that Mayor Joe Riley signed in 2005. Energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions aren’t just good environmental policy, Riley says, although that is one reason for his commitment. “Another is we can save taxpayer money,” Riley said. “Certainly in terms of the city as an energy user, the more energy-efficient we are, the more taxpayer money is protected and saved.”
Facilities overhaul The city’s facilities overhaul began in 2001 when the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium needed a new heating and air conditioning unit. The HVAC system had leaks, was noisy and ran on environmentally unfriendly chemicals, said Steve Bedard, the city’s CFO. But replacing it with a newer, more efficient unit wouldn’t be cheap. The high cost prompted the city to take a more global look at its facilities and energy usage. City officials hired Johnson Controls, a company that offers energy optimization solutions, to conduct an energy audit. The result was a 15-year contract with the company to recommend facilities improvements, make them and maintain them. Improvements have included replacement of heating and air units, upgrades to lighting, installation of lowflow water devices and renovation of an old office building. City officials say this type of energyefficiency overhaul doesn’t require a government to have lots of money on hand. Charleston has financed the upfront costs of the energy improvements and is paying the debt service with its annual savings in energy costs. If in any year the city’s savings don’t add up to Johnson Controls’ forecast, the company must write the city a check for
the difference. Bedard said that has happened, but only once since 2001. In 2007, the city added projects to its original $3.9 million contract with Johnson Controls and extended the agreement for another 15 years. Now the contract calls for a $16.8 million total investment. But the city expects to have saved $18.5 million by 2023. “We included some things that didn’t pay for themselves,” Bedard said. “But as a whole package, they (the improvements) pay for themselves.”
Reducing emissions citywide When Riley signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in 2005, he was among the first mayors to do so. Now 1,000 mayors have signed on, though still only two in South Carolina. Sumter is the only other city whose mayor has signed the agreement. “It’s a big challenge,” said Harry Lesesne, Riley’s executive assistant. “How to do that, there’s no formula, there’s no cookbook. Every city has to figure that out on their own.” To help figure it out, Charleston set up a citizens group called the Green Committee in 2007 to make recommendations for meeting the carbon-reduction goal. Riley said organizing the citizens group to lead the effort was meant to capitalize on the interest many in the community already had in the topic. It was also a way to spread that interest by creating a buzz about sustainability. “It’s a movement,” Riley said. “I think that it’s contagious.” The 24-member group began meeting in October 2007. Now, after two years, the Green Committee is preparing to present its ideas for getting the city to 1990 carbon emission levels, minus 7%. The group previously recommended the hiring of a city sustainability director, which Riley also supported, Lesesne said. Brian Sheehan, who recently worked for the city of Portland, Ore., took that job in early October. The inaugural director, Sheehan will coordinate with the Green Committee and manage the Johnson Controls partnership, a federal grant for energy efficiency projects and more. The position, the only new job funded in the city’s budget this year, will help advance the city’s sustainability efforts, which so far have fallen under the leadership of various city officials who have other job duties, Riley said. “It really requires and merits a fulltime person ... who gets up in the morn-
Charleston Green Guide A5
ing and works all day until they go home at night, working on matters that enhance our sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “It’s a recognition that we are doing a lot, but so much more could be done if we have a dedicated person working on it.”
director will make the city more competitive in seeking out and applying for additional energy efficiency grants.
Inside and outside city government
Stimulus funding Charleston received $1.14 million from the federal government this year to advance some sustainability projects that were already in the planning stages. The money came as an Energy Efficiency Block Grant, through a program Congress funded in its passage of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus package. Modeled on the decades-old Community Development Block Grant program, which funds initiatives that improve housing and economic opportunities, the new program sends cities money for projects that reduce excess energy use. Charleston will divide its money among five projects: • $455,566 will allow a new community center under construction on the city’s West Side to have energy-efficient features that make it a candidate for LEED certification. • $255,000 will be used as startup funds for an Energy Efficiency Partnership, a revolving loan fund that would provide capital for residents to make energy-efficient repairs and upgrades
Brian Sheehan, Charleston’s new sustainability director, stands atop 75 Calhoun St. where the city plans to install a green roof. (Photo/Leslie Halpern)
to their homes. • $200,462 will pay for a green roof for 75 Calhoun St., where some of the city’s departments are housed. The roof, meant as a demonstration project, will be planted with vegetation that captures rainwater and provides insulation for the building below. • $172,220 will complete the city’s transition to replacement of all incandescent traffic lights with energy-saving LED lights. The city already has switched out 74% of its traffic lights. • $55,000 will go to the Energy Conservation Corps, a partnership with
the local Sustainability Institute that is also funded by the city of North Charleston and AmeriCorps. Through the partnership, young adults will train in green construction techniques and help low- and moderate-income families in the two cities make their homes more energy-efficient. Cities across the country initially received block grants based on a formula that looks at demographics. But the stimulus package also provides for a round of competitive funding that has not yet taken place, Lesesne said. Riley said that having a sustainability
The city has compiled a list more than nine pages long of small changes its staff has made to conserve energy. Examples include recycling; using thermal coffee pots that require electricity only during brewing; biking to downtown meetings; and properly inflating city vehicles’ tires. But reaching the citywide goal for reduced carbon emissions requires changes outside of city government. Changes in planning and development practices are also key, said Carolee Williams, project manager in the city’s Department of Planning, Preservation and Sustainability. The city encourages infill development in urban areas and walkable communities that allow residents to get around without driving a car, she said. The city also has committed to designing new road projects to include areas for pedestrians, bikers and transit, in addition to cars. Transportation options won’t change immediately citywide, but, over time, as new roads are built and old roads are upgraded, a system of linked sidewalks and bike lanes will emerge. “All these things are sort of incremental,” Lesesne said. cr bj
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A6 Charleston Green Guide
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orth Charleston’s new City Hall, opened in September, has a story that mirrors the recent renaissance of the city itself. The looming structure stands at the site of the former Charles Towne Square Mall in a decades-old shopping center. Developers decided the mall was outdated, demolished it and built a more modern, speculative building in its place. Looking to improve and expand its government headquarters, the city decided to buy the building and upfit it according to energy efficiency and sustainability standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. Now, city officials are proud to call it their new home. The transition from outdated to new and sustainable has become a theme in North Charleston. After the closure of the Navy Base there in the 1990s, city leaders committed to an extensive redevelopment plan for roughly 3,000 acres in the historic center of the city that had become distressed and, in some cases, abandoned. The city, with the help of the Noisette Co., mapped out a redevelopment effort grounded in sustainable development patterns and green building practices. The plan was approved in 2004. The goal was — and still is — to make North
Charleston a place more people want to call home. The city’s renaissance is ongoing, albeit slowed by the economic recession. New business and residential activity is under way at the center of the region that, importantly, offers an alternative to sprawl’s outward push, its unsustainable consumption of land and its emphasis on auto travel.
Leading the effort When the city embarked on its redevelopment plan for 3,000 acres known as the Noisette Community, persuading private developers to tear down World War II-era structures and rebuild to green standards was a challenge, said Ray Anderson, special assistant to the mayor. Building in greenfields is a much easier process, he said. “We worked hard for a year or two to entice private industry,” Anderson said. But it didn’t work. So the city decided to take on the role of developer itself in the old Century Oaks neighborhood in Park Circle. That 55-acre neighborhood is now Oak Terrace Preserve, where all builders follow EarthCraft House standards, ensuring the new homes they build are energy-efficient. After the city jump-started redevelopment, Anderson said private developers followed suit. Oak Terrace Preserve is now one of several residential infill projects under way in the
Charleston Green Guide A7
historic part of the city. “We’re finding that people understand green and want to live in green,” Anderson said. “It will bear economic benefit over the long term, and it’s a place people want to live and raise their family.” The city started the effort with Oak Terrace Preserve, he said, because leaders felt it was “important to put our money where our mouth was.” Converting the new $37.5 million City Hall to green standards was another example of the city setting the example in its vision for a sustainable community. The structure was upfitted with features that are expected to earn the building a certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, or LEED, which is offered through the U.S. Green Building Council. For example, the city added a skylight spanning the length of the structure and transoms over many offices to let in natural light. Fixtures, including toilets and urinals, have water-saving features. Outside lighting follows special standards that limit wasted light. Construction debris was recycled instead of being dumped in the landfill. “Again, we thought we ought to practice what we preach,” Anderson said. The new building is a healthy, inviting environment for employees and the public, he said. Its features help reduce energy usage, which will save the city money over time and lower regional demands on power. “All of those things are what we are supposed to be about as a government anyway,” Anderson said.
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The federal government’s economic stimulus package, passed earlier this year, contained block grant money for cities to use on energy efficiency projects that also create jobs. North Charleston received $978,000.
That money is designated for a variety of projects, many of which Anderson said are the low-hanging fruit in terms of improving the energy efficiency of public facilities beyond City Hall. Several community centers will get tankless water heaters, and several fire stations will get solar-powered water heaters. The city’s Northwoods Gymnasium will undergo more comprehensive energy efficiency improvements that include a new HVAC system, windows, insulation, lighting and an entryway that helps hold hot and cold air inside the building. “Right now when you open the doors, you just go right in, there’s no envelope system,” said Shannon Praete, the city’s grants administrator. Praete said the gymnasium has not been updated since the 1980s. The city is also committing $100,000 toward the Energy Conservation Corps, a new initiative started by the local Sustainability Institute. The program, which the city of Charleston is also supporting, trains young adults in green building and funds energy efficiency upgrades for local homeowners who can’t afford the work. A little more than half of North Charleston’s total block grant will go toward replacement of traffic lights and street lights with LED bulbs, which last longer and use less energy. Anderson said the lighting upgrades will bring a return on investment in the form of lower utility bills. “Our budget for street lights in the city alone is in excess of $1 million a year,” he said. Anderson said Mayor Keith Summey’s mantra is improving quality of life in North Charleston, and sustainable practices are one way to accomplish that. “The city has embraced it and is moving forward with it,” he said.
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A8 Charleston Green Guide
New weatherization program focuses on energy efficiency and green jobs By Ashley Fletcher Frampton aframpton@scbiznews.com
S
mall fixes, such as adding insulation or sealing drafty cracks, can reduce the amount of energy it takes to heat or cool a home, which, in turn, lowers utility bills. Low- and moderate-income homeowners in older houses often pay disproportionately high energy bills and could benefit most from those types of improvements, said Bryan Cordell, director of the local Sustainability Institute. But they might not have the money or know-how. The Sustainability Institute, a local nonprofit organization that specializes in home energy efficiency audits, has come up with a way to help. Along with several partners, it is launching a program that trains young adults to make homes energy-efficient and provides money for them to go to local neighborhoods and put those skills to use.
The goal of the program, called the Energy Conservation Corps, is to weatherize 200 homes by 2011, with 50 completed in the first year. “Weatherization is synonymous with energy efficiency,” said Jay Bell, who was recently hired as program manager for the Energy Conservation Corps. “The ultimate goal is just to reduce the energy use in homes.” The program is funded in part with $121,000 from AmeriCorps, a national service program for young adults sometimes described as the domestic Peace Corps. Participants in the Energy Conservation Corps will be 18 to 24 years old. They will commit to a six-month term that comes with a living stipend of $3,500 and an education award of $2,500 at the completion of the term. Cordell said the Energy Conservation Corps has a dual purpose: making holistic energy-related home improvements for low-income families and training young adults in green building practices with the hope that they will use those
Bryan Cordell director, Sustainability Institute
Energy costs disproportionally affect low-income individuals. skills after their service. About 10 young men and women will participate in the Energy Conservation Corps each six-month term. All of those recruited for the first term are from Charleston and North Charleston com-
munities, Bell said. “They’re going to take a great sense of pride in working with their communities,” he said. The AmeriCorps funding is a oneyear grant that could be renewed in future years, Cordell said. Total funding for the Energy Conservation Corps is about $300,000, with the balance coming from the cities of Charleston and North Charleston. Both cities have committed funds they received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, in the form of Energy Efficiency Block Grants. Corps participants will receive training in green building practices at Trident Technical College. Trident Tech is one of six technical colleges in South Carolina receiving federal stimulus dollars to train people working on stimulus-funded weatherization projects. The S.C. Office of Economic Opportunity has developed criteria for weatherization training and partnered with the technical college system to ensure
Charleston Green Guide A9
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The Energy Conservation Corps aims to weatherize 200 homes by 2011, with 50 completed the first year. (Photo/File)
that stimulus-funded projects are based on practices that are standard statewide. The special green building training is currently available only to those people working on projects funded by federal stimulus dollars, said Louise Cooper, director of the Economic Opportunity Office. State officials hope to open that training to the public in the future. Bell said the training will give Energy Conservation Corps participants a leg up in the job market, given the increasing demand for qualified green builders. “When the crew leaves, when they graduate, they’re not just leaving with on-the-job training; they’re leaving with paper certification for green building,” Bell said. Low- and moderate-income residents in the cities of Charleston and North Charleston will apply for the energy efficiency improvements through their respective cities, Cordell said. Costs to families whose homes will be repaired will be minimal or none. Cordell said he expected that participants would be on board in October and work on homes would begin by November. The Energy Conservation Corps will have a set budget for each home and likely will not allow for major efficiency upgrades such as new heating and air systems, Bell said. The budget per home has not yet been determined. But improvements will be long-term solutions, not short-term fixes that must be repeated time and time again, Bell said. Cordell said some cities help lowincome homeowners make emergency fixes to their houses, such as a roof repairs. But those programs don’t address energy efficiency in a holistic way that will bring
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Jay Bell program manager, Energy Conservation Corps
“When the crew leaves, when they graduate, they’re not just leaving with on-the-job training; they’re leaving with paper certification for green building.” savings. “This program will do that,” he said. Bell said the program will be a model in the Southeast. The Sustainability Institute is also collaborating on the project with the Lowcountry Civic Justice Corps, a local program that offers training in green building practices to individuals who’ve been incarcerated for nonviolent crimes and are nearing the end of their terms. That organization already has experience working with AmeriCorps and with green building, Cordell said. cr bj
Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843849-3129.
Green Building, Sustainability and Weatherization Be ready for the green building boom as federal and state agencies allocate stimulus dollars for green building projects. Trident Technical College offers continuing education courses leading to careers in green building and analysis, which will be in high demand. The college is one of six Energy Ef¿ciency Training Centers in South Carolina. | ACCA Geothermal Heat Pump Certi¿cation | Building Science Level I | Home Energy Rating Field Inspector Training and Exam | Home Energy Rating Rater Training and Exam | BPI Building Analyst | BPI Envelope Professional | BPI Manufactured Housing Professional | IAST Weatherization Technician For more information, visit www.tridenttech.edu/ce.htm or call 843.574.6778.
A10 Charleston Green Guide
Deconstructor: Waste ‘keeps me awake at night’ By Allison Cooke Oliverius aoliverius@scbiznews.com
W
hen Rebecca O’Brien recently walked through a home that sits on prime property on the Isle of Palms, she took stock. “You could really just move in here,” O’Brien said, looking around the fourbedroom home that was built in the 1970s and was beginning to show its age. But in the coming weeks, the house will be deconstructed so that a new LEED Platinum home can be built in its place. The distinction between demolition and deconstruction is one O’Brien is quick to point out. This home won’t be torn down and the bulk of the materials sent to the landfill. Instead, O’Brien and her small crew have been hired by the homeowners to painstakingly remove floorboards, wallboards, windows, beams, sinks, toilets, cabinets — anything that can be salvaged. The materials will then be sold, tax-free, to anyone who has a use for them. “I’ve always been in to the whole ‘reuse’ thing,” said O’Brien, who is certified in deconstruction by the Building Materials Reuse Association. She began Sustainable Warehouse, which functions
as a nonprofit, three years ago. “My mom says I was born to do this job.” Sustainable Warehouse works like this: Property owners who want to renovate or tear down a structure in an environmentally responsible way can hire Sustainable Warehouse to determine what materials can be salvaged and then strip down the structure. The fee a business or homeowner pays covers the cost of deconstruction and the cost to dispose of materials that cannot be reused. In return, the property owner receives a tax deduction for the donation of reusable materials collected from the project. And, if the building will be replaced with a green structure, deconstruction will help property owners earn points toward LEED certification. The materials O’Brien saves from the landfill are stored at her warehouse and mostly sold via www.sustainablewarehouse.org. But O’Brien is currently searching for retail space. Her ultimate goal is to have a Home Depot-sized store where reusable items are sold at 50% to 75% of the price of a new item. “The profit margin is not great,” O’Brien said, smiling. “But I’m not in it for the money. To me, and to a lot of people who value the reuse of materials, it’s
Rebecca O’Brien of Sustainable Warehouse. (Photo/Wally Carey, focussharp.com)
about finding a home for them. “I just don’t like waste,” she continued. “It bothers me. It keeps me awake at night.” O’Brien’s recent projects include a
Summerville home built in the early 1900s. About 65% to 70% of the materials pulled out of the home were recycled or reused. Her largest project was The Cigar Factory, a 125-year-old building in downtown Charleston that was first used for cotton and then cigar production. In more recent years, it was used for office and warehouse space and once housed Johnson & Wales University. The Simpson Organization purchased the building in 2007 and is in the midst of a $55 million makeover to convert the historic building into a mixed-used development. O’Brien and her crew worked at The Cigar Factory for seven months and salvaged 30 tons of furniture, equipment and building materials. Outside of work, O’Brien spends a lot of time educating people about the benefits of recycling and reusing materials. She sits on the Charleston Green Committee’s Recycle Subcommittee and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Lowcountry Steering Committee. In addition, she is chairwoman of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Lowcountry Programs. cr bj
Reach Allison Cooke Oliverius at 843849-3149.
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Charleston Green Guide A11
These industry-speciďŹ c lists appear in each issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal. To update your company information or to be added to the list, call Gini Rice at 843-849-3114 or update online at www.charlestonbusiness.com/update_lists/.
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A12 Charleston Green Guide
Interested to hear the latest in sustainable design and construction? USGBC Lowcountry is your best source for local tours, educational events, and LEED training classes. Visit USGBCSC.org for more information about membership and involvement in our branch and the South Carolina Chapter Email Joel McKellar at joelmckellar@ls3p.com to sign up to our mailing list at no charge!
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Berkeley County Water & Sanitation signed an agreement to sell to Santee Cooper the methane it harvests from the county landfill. The utility will then convert the gas into electricity. (Photo/Berkeley County)
Carbon footprint reduction: Good for the environment, good for your business By Allison Cooke Oliverius
energy and purchasing carbon credits. “At the end of the day, it’s still economics,” Logan said, “and a lot of the energylthough reducing your carbon saving ideas, such as alternative fuel, is not footprint is not a new concept, new. ... It just didn’t make economic sense Terry Logan of Efficient Energy when fossil fuels weren’t so expensive. It’s Advisors says it’s only now that individu- only going to become more expensive and als, business owners and government more limited in supply because the rest of agencies are really the world is developbeginning to undering and their energy “Human activity since consumption is only stand the economic benefits of doing so. going to increase. The Efficient Energy the dawn of the industrial economics are going Advisors is a new to change in favor of age has increased company, founded some of these alternaby Beaufort County tive energy technolothe concentrations of entrepreneur John gies.” Rosenberg, that helps so-called greenhouse Waste to energy commercial and instiLogan, a scientutional clients reduce gases in the atmosphere.” tist and part owner their energy costs. of Efficient Energy The company Terry Logan Advisors, begins begins with an energy Efficient Energy Advisors by explaining that audit and then offers humans are at fault suggestions on ways to reduce energy consumption and save for the global warming that is impacting the environment. money. “Human activity since the dawn of Solutions include making a structure more energy-efficient, using renewable the industrial age has increased the aoliverius@scbiznews.com
A
Charleston Green Guide A13
are traded like stocks. “There are a number of good-news stories from this,” Martin said. “One, the money we generate will help hold down the costs of waste disposal. Two, we are removing these things from our environment. And three, not only are we removing them, we are substituting this form of energy for another, cleaner form.”
Good for business The carbon credits that entities earn from the reduction of carbon emissions are traded on the Chicago Climate Exchange, a legally binding greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading system.
Berkeley County is one of six counties in South Carolina to install a landfill extraction system for methane. (Photo/Berkeley County)
concentrations of so-called greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” he said. “These gases absorb solar radiation that would otherwise escape beyond the earth’s atmosphere, and this trapped radiation results in global warming, an increase in the average temperature of the earth.” Although the most important greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, because of the sheer volume that is produced, Logan said that other gases produced in smaller amounts are more potent in the absorption of infrared radiation. Methane is one of those gases. Scientists say methane gas, a natural byproduct of the rotting of materials in landfills, can live in the atmosphere for 12 years. But when you calculate methane’s carbon dioxide equivalent, its lifespan grows to 25 years. Berkeley County is on the cutting edge of efforts to harness methane from landfills and put it to good use. Colin Martin, executive director of Berkeley County Water & Sanitation, said the county spent $2.5 million this year to install special wells in its landfill that will be used to draw out the methane. The county is waiting on the delivery of a final piece of equipment, called a blower/flare station, that will actually pull the gas out of the ground. The station was expected to arrive by the end of October, and testing should begin in November. Once the gas is pulled from the landfill, there are two options: The gas can be burned at the blower/flare station, which destroys the harmful emissions; or the gas can be sent through generators that will turn the waste byproduct into energy. Martin said Santee Cooper recently agreed to purchase the methane gas and turn it into electricity. It should have generators up and running by August 2010. Berkeley County has also signed a contract with Blue Source Inc., a national firm that buys and sells carbon credits. Credits can be earned when methane is removed from the atmosphere, and they
The credits are sold to entities that use them to offset their own emissions. “The clean energy legislation that has passed in the House and is now being considered by the Senate will change the complexion of this process of monetizing and collecting credits,” Martin said. “People are going to need these credits to meet newer, tougher standards.” These newer, tougher federal standards on carbon emissions are expected to be handed down in the next few months, but they will take years to implement, Martin said. “We are now a global economy,” Logan said, “and there are companies here who
have major clients overseas and in Europe, and those clients are asking, ‘Do you have a plan to reduce your carbon footprint?’ The European countries are ahead of us in this stance.” He added that, with the legislation being considered, “There is a lot of uncertainty right now, and the more advanced companies tend to want to get ahead of the curve. They are asking, ‘How can I reduce my carbon footprint, what is it going to take and what is it going to mean for me financially?’ ” cr bj
Reach Allison Cooke Oliverius at 843-849-3149.
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A14 Charleston Green Guide
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Oyster recycling program targets local restaurants By Ashley Fletcher Frampton aframpton@scbiznews.com
M
ore than half of the 6.7 million pounds of oysters sold in South Carolina each year are sold to restaurants, many of them in Charleston, according to a count by The Nature Conservancy. And most of those oyster shells, once the salty meat is plucked from them, go straight in the trash. For years, state officials have been trying to find a cost-effective way to recycle restaurants’ shells for refurbishing of public oyster beds and stabilization of shorelines. The state now buys out-ofstate shells for those purposes. Jennings said DNR previously considered hiring a waste collection company to pick up the used oyster shells but abandoned the idea when cost estimates came in around $3,000 per month. “Logistically, it was a nightmare,” said Andy Jennings, oyster shell recycling program coordinator with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. But a grant of about $8,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has allowed the state agency and partner groups to launch a recycling pilot program, which began in early October and runs through the middle of May. Key to making the logistics work is a partnership with Fisher Recycling of Charleston, said Joy Brown, marine restoration specialist with The Nature Conservancy. Because Fisher already collects recyclables from many area restaurants, it can add oyster shell pickup to its rounds. Restaurants pay part of the costs in the pilot program. Participating restaurants are issued two garbage can-sized bins. When they’re full of shells, the restaurant pays $20 for Fisher to empty them.
Already signed up Local restaurants already signed up are Charleston Place, Fleet Landing, Hank’s Seafood, Liberty Taproom, Pearlz restaurants and Peninsula Grill. Pearlz restaurants tried to recycle oyster shells in the past, said Emmy Scott, marketing director for TBonz Restaurant Group, of which Pearlz is a part. The restaurants would save empty shells and have an employee transport them to a community drop-off site, she said. Daily transporting was time-consuming, Scott said, but letting shells pile up for days in the kitchen wasn’t a good option, either. Fisher Recycling will take the shells from restaurants to its North Charleston facility. When the oyster shells reach 1,000 to 1,500 bushels, DNR will collect them and turn them into new oyster reefs.
Several local organizations and restaurants are participating in an oyster shell recycling program to refurbish public oyster beds. (Photo provided)
The financial side Brown said the federal grant helps defray the cost of pickup; the $20 pickup fee is lower than it would be. The money also pays for the collection bins, as well as window decals that restaurants can display, helping market the program. Chris Fisher, owner of Fisher Recycling, said the partnership is not a profit center for his company. He said the $20 pickup fee helps cover his labor costs. Fisher said recycling oyster shells lightens the waste load for restaurants, helping them save on disposal costs. Jennings said collecting shells from Charleston restaurants could save the state as much as $1,500 per month.
Why recycle? Young oysters must attach to a hard surface to grow, and empty oyster shells are the ideal landing spot. Oyster harvesting takes away that option unless the shells are returned to the waters. The shells that are collected will go into about 180 acres of oyster beds that are open to the public for recreational harvesting. DNR already collects oyster shells that individuals drop off at 22 coastal sites, often after home oyster roasts. DNR also places recycled oyster shells in some non-harvest areas to stabilize the shoreline and help filter the water. Additional grants would be sought if the first year is successful, Brown said. Partners in the pilot are DNR, Fish and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, Fisher Recycling and the College of Charleston’s Students in Free Enterprise group. Restaurants interested in recycling oyster shells should call Fisher Recycling at 843-881-3388. cr bj
Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843849-3129.
Charleston Green Guide A15 WIND, continued from Page A1
➤
you bring it to shore and tie it to an existing transmission system? That’s something we’re looking at,” Gore said. Another question is whether a wind farm is economically feasible. Gore said customers would pay a premium for energy created by offshore winds when compared to nuclear or coal-powered energy. The farther from the coast an offshore wind farm is located, the more expensive it is to transmit that energy inland. “We think it will be at least twice as expensive as traditional generational costs,” Gore said. “That’s really purely a guesstimate at this point because no one has built one in America.” Other countries are ahead of the curve when it comes to capturing offshore wind. This spring, Nick Longfield, managing director of Ocean Marine Services Ltd. of Wales, spoke about the potential of U.S. wind farms during a monthly Propeller Club meeting. Speaking from experience, Longfield said the companies and states that get in on the ground level of offshore wind farm development will reap the economic benefits for years to come. “Many satellite companies will develop from an offshore wind farm project,” Longfield said. “And if you’re there at the start, you’ll not only benefit locally, but you will become the experts.” Longfield has more than 35 years’ expe-
rience in the maritime and alternative energy industries. He became involved in Great Britain’s first offshore wind farms a decade ago, including conducting of site surveys and development of techniques for environmental impact studies. Heeding this lesson and eager to play a role, the Clemson University Restoration Institute submitted an application in August for a U.S. Department of Energy grant to build a drivetrain and wind turbine testing facility at its campus in North Charleston. The application was a partnership with the cities of Charleston and North Charleston and the S.C. State Ports Authority, said Nick Rigas, assistant to the vice president at the restoration insti-
tute and an avid advocate of renewable energy development. Rigas said South Carolina is competing against proposals from five other states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan and Massachusetts. The Energy Department is expected to name a winner soon. The team that is selected would create a facility to which manufacturers would come to test their turbines and drivetrains against accelerated testing protocols. “To be honest, I don’t know if we have a chance,” Rigas said. “I don’t know how political this thing is.” He criticized South Carolina’s congressional delegation for what he said appears to be a less-aggressive lobbying effort for the facility than those of other
states. Rigas said landing this facility could make South Carolina a major hub of offshore wind energy development and manufacturing. General Electric in the Upstate served as an adviser on the project, Rigas said. GE Energy’s Greenville plant produces 60-ton wind turbine generators, which are primarily shipped overseas. Other companies wrote letters of support, Rigas said, including Fluor Corp., Siemens USA and Nordex, a German wind blade manufacturer heading into the U.S. market. With or without the Energy Department grant, the state is forging ahead in its study efforts, said Erica Myers, the manager of renewable energy programs for the S.C. Energy Office. In 2008, the S.C. General Assembly created the Wind Energy Production Farms Feasibility Study Committee, made up of legislators and private citizens. The committee was charged with studying, reviewing and making recommendations about the potential for wind production inland or in offshore areas. “There are many things that need to be researched and analyzed before any turbine can be installed. So that’s what we’re in the process of doing,” Myers said. The committee’s fourth and final meeting is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 in Room 209 of the Gressette Building in Columbia. cr bj
Reach Molly Parker at 843-849-3144.
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