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By Molly Parkermparker@scbiznews.com

Buoys floating off the coasts of Georgetown and Myrtle Beach are collecting data that could eventu-

ally allow the state to churn offshore winds into power.

Th e 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 off shore. Th e buoys were deployed in July as part of South Carolina’s steps toward determining whether an off shore wind farm could become a viable source of alternative energy in the state.

Th e buoys are transmitting live data back to shore that university researchers are continuously dissecting in an eff ort 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. Th ere certainly is an economic resource off the coast,” said Paul Gayes, director of the Center for Marine and Wetland Stud-ies at Coastal Carolina University.

In both locations, the buoys are situ-ated 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 Offi ce.

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 land-based wind anemometers is there isn’t suffi cient utility-scale wind to turn big wind turbines. So we are looking off -shore,” Santee Cooper spokeswoman Mollie Gore said.

Th e 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 com-pany will be selected soon.

“Th e fi rst question is, Is the wind there? Th e second question is, How do

Capturing wind to power the future

The 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.

Sustainable cities

Above: North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey.

(Photo/Chrys Rynearson)

Left: Bryan Sheehan, the city of Charleston’s first

sustainability director. (Photo/Leslie Halpern)

See WIND, Page A15 ➤

Inside: Charleston’s commitment to sustainability

effort is wide-ranging, ambitious. Page A4

On the green front, North Charleston leads by

example. Page A6

A2 Charleston Green Guide

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A1 Capturing offshore winds to power the future

A1 Sustainable cities

A4 Charleston’s commitment to sustainability

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With issues such as global warming, alternative fuels and food safety making headlines, going green

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Th at’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, busi-

nesses 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

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We have included a list of eco-based companies within the publication, but we recommend that you

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For a limited time, you may download these lists for free. Simply go to www.scbiznews.com/data.

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Charleston’s commitment to sustainability effort iswide-ranging, ambitious

By Ashley Fletcher Framptonaframpton@scbiznews.com

The city of Charleston’s commit-ment to environmental sustain-ability ranges from the small and

simple to the bold and ambitious.Small steps include printing on both

sides of paper and turning off offi ce lights when leaving.

Th en 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 May-ors Climate Protection Agreement that Mayor Joe Riley signed in 2005.

Energy effi ciency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions aren’t just good environmental policy, Riley says, although that is one reason for his com-mitment.

“Another is we can save taxpayer money,” Riley said. “Certainly in terms of the city as an energy user, the more ener-gy-effi cient we are, the more taxpayer money is protected and saved.”

Facilities overhaulTh e city’s facilities overhaul began in

2001 when the Gaillard Municipal Audi-torium needed a new heating and air conditioning unit. Th e HVAC system had leaks, was noisy and ran on environ-mentally unfriendly chemicals, said Steve Bedard, the city’s CFO.

But replacing it with a newer, more effi cient unit wouldn’t be cheap.

Th e high cost prompted the city to take a more global look at its facilities and energy usage. City offi cials hired Johnson Controls, a company that off ers energy optimization solutions, to conduct an energy audit.

Th e result was a 15-year contract with the company to recommend facilities improvements, make them and main-tain them. Improvements have included replacement of heating and air units, upgrades to lighting, installation of low-fl ow water devices and renovation of an old offi ce building.

City offi cials say this type of energy-effi ciency overhaul doesn’t require a gov-ernment to have lots of money on hand. Charleston has fi nanced the upfront costs of the energy improvements and is pay-ing the debt service with its annual sav-ings 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 diff erence. Bedard said that has hap-pened, but only once since 2001.

In 2007, the city added projects to its original $3.9 million contract with John-son 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 improve-ments) pay for themselves.”

Reducing emissions citywideWhen Riley signed the U.S. Mayors

Climate Protection Agreement in 2005, he was among the fi rst 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 fi gure that out on their own.”

To help fi gure it out, Charleston set up a citizens group called the Green Com-mittee in 2007 to make recommendations for meeting the carbon-reduction goal.

Riley said organizing the citizens group to lead the eff ort 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.”

Th e 24-member group began meeting in October 2007. Now, aft er two years, the Green Committee is preparing to present its ideas for getting the city to 1990 car-bon emission levels, minus 7%.

Th e group previously recommended the hiring of a city sustainability direc-tor, which Riley also supported, Lesesne said.

Brian Sheehan, who recently worked for the city of Portland, Ore., took that job in early October. Th e inaugural director, Sheehan will coordinate with the Green Committee and manage the Johnson Controls partnership, a federal grant for energy effi ciency projects and more.

Th e position, the only new job funded in the city’s budget this year, will help advance the city’s sustainability eff orts, which so far have fallen under the lead-ership of various city offi cials who have other job duties, Riley said.

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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 per-son working on it.”

Stimulus fundingCharleston received $1.14 million

from the federal government this year to advance some sustainability projects that were already in the planning stages.

Th e money came as an Energy Effi -ciency Block Grant, through a program Congress funded in its passage of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvest-ment Act stimulus package.

Modeled on the decades-old Commu-nity 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 fi ve projects:

$455,566 will allow a new community • center under construction on the city’s West Side to have energy-effi cient features that make it a candidate for LEED certifi cation. $255,000 will be used as startup funds • for an Energy Effi ciency Partnership, a revolving loan fund that would provide capital for residents to make energy-effi cient repairs and upgrades

to their homes.$200,462 will pay for a green roof for • 75 Calhoun St., where some of the city’s departments are housed. Th e roof, meant as a demonstration proj-ect, will be planted with vegetation that captures rainwater and provides insulation for the building below. $172,220 will complete the city’s transi-• tion to replacement of all incandescent traffi c lights with energy-saving LED lights. Th e city already has switched out 74% of its traffi c lights.$55,000 will go to the Energy Con-• servation Corps, a partnership with

the local Sustainability Institute that is also funded by the city of North Charleston and AmeriCorps. Th rough 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-effi cient. Cities across the country initially

received block grants based on a formula that looks at demographics. But the stim-ulus package also provides for a round of competitive funding that has not yet taken place, Lesesne said.

Riley said that having a sustainability

director will make the city more competi-tive in seeking out and applying for addi-tional energy effi ciency grants.

Inside and outside city governmentTh e 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 coff ee pots that require electricity only during brewing; biking to downtown meetings; and properly infl ating city vehicles’ tires.

But reaching the citywide goal for reduced carbon emissions requires chang-es outside of city government. Changes in planning and development practices are also key, said Carolee Williams, project manager in the city’s Department of Plan-ning, Preservation and Sustainability.

Th e city encourages infi ll development in urban areas and walkable communities that allow residents to get around without driving a car, she said. Th e city also has committed to designing new road proj-ects to include areas for pedestrians, bik-ers 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 incremen-tal,” Lesesne said. cr

bj

Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843-849-3129.

Brian Sheehan, Charleston’s new sustainability director, stands atop 75 Calhoun St. where the city plans

to install a green roof. (Photo/Leslie Halpern)

A6 Charleston Green Guide

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On the green front, North Charleston leads by example

By Ashley Fletcher Framptonaframpton@scbiznews.com

North Charleston’s new City Hall, opened in September, has a story that mirrors the recent renais-

sance of the city itself. Th e looming structure stands at the

site of the former Charles Towne Square Mall in a decades-old shopping center. Developers decided the mall was outdat-ed, demolished it and built a more mod-ern, speculative building in its place.

Looking to improve and expand its government headquarters, the city decid-ed to buy the building and upfi t it accord-ing to energy effi ciency and sustainability standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Now, city offi cials are proud to call it their new home.

Th e transition from outdated to new and sustainable has become a theme in North Charleston. Aft er the closure of the Navy Base there in the 1990s, city leaders committed to an extensive rede-velopment plan for roughly 3,000 acres in the historic center of the city that had become distressed and, in some cases, abandoned.

Th e city, with the help of the Noisette Co., mapped out a redevelopment eff ort grounded in sustainable development patterns and green building practices. Th e plan was approved in 2004. Th e goal was — and still is — to make North

Charleston a place more people want to call home.

Th e 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, off ers an alternative to sprawl’s outward push, its unsustainable consumption of land and its emphasis on auto travel.

Leading the effortWhen the city embarked on its rede-

velopment 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 greenfi elds is a much easi-er 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. Th at 55-acre neighborhood is now Oak Terrace Preserve, where all builders follow EarthCraft House stan-dards, ensuring the new homes they build are energy-effi cient.

Aft er the city jump-started rede-velopment, Anderson said private developers followed suit. Oak Terrace Preserve is now one of several resi-dential infi ll projects under way in the

North Charleston had the grand opening for its new City Hall in mid-September. The building, which the

city upfitted with several green features, is expected to earn LEED certification. (Photo/Chrys Rynearson)

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“We’re fi nding that people understand green and want to live in green,” Ander-son said. “It will bear economic benefi t over the long term, and it’s a place people want to live and raise their family.”

Th e city started the eff ort 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.

Th e structure was upfi tted with fea-tures that are expected to earn the build-ing a certifi cation from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design pro-gram, or LEED, which is off ered through the U.S. Green Building Council.

For example, the city added a sky-light spanning the length of the structure and transoms over many offi ces to let in natural light. Fixtures, including toilets and urinals, have water-saving features. Outside lighting follows special stan-dards that limit wasted light. Construc-tion debris was recycled instead of being dumped in the landfi ll.

“Again, we thought we ought to prac-tice what we preach,” Anderson said.

Th e new building is a healthy, inviting environment for employees and the pub-lic, he said. Its features help reduce ener-gy 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.

Low-hanging fruitTh e federal government’s economic

stimulus package, passed earlier this year, contained block grant money for cities to use on energy effi ciency projects that also create jobs. North Charleston received $978,000.

Th at money is designated for a vari-ety of projects, many of which Anderson said are the low-hanging fruit in terms of improving the energy effi ciency of public facilities beyond City Hall.

Several community centers will get tankless water heaters, and several fi re stations will get solar-powered water heat-ers. Th e city’s Northwoods Gymnasium will undergo more comprehensive ener-gy effi ciency 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.

Th e city is also committing $100,000 toward the Energy Conservation Corps, a new initiative started by the local Sus-tainability Institute. Th e program, which the city of Charleston is also supporting, trains young adults in green building and funds energy effi ciency upgrades for local homeowners who can’t aff ord the work.

A little more than half of North Charleston’s total block grant will go toward replacement of traffi c 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 prac-tices are one way to accomplish that.

“Th e city has embraced it and is mov-ing forward with it,” he said. cr

bj

Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843-849-3129.

All of the homes in Oak Terrace Preserve are built to EarthCraft House standards, ensuring energy effi-

ciency. (Photo/Courtesy of the city of North Charleston)

A8 Charleston Green Guide

New weatherization program focuses on energy efficiency and green jobs

By Ashley Fletcher Framptonaframpton@scbiznews.com

Small fixes, such as adding insula-tion 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 home-owners in older houses oft en pay dis-proportionately high energy bills and could benefi t most from those types of improvements, said Bryan Cordell, direc-tor of the local Sustainability Institute. But they might not have the money or know-how.

Th e Sustainability Institute, a local nonprofi t organization that specializes in home energy effi ciency 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-effi cient and provides money for them to go to local neighborhoods and put those skills to use.

Th e goal of the program, called the Energy Conservation Corps, is to weath-erize 200 homes by 2011, with 50 com-pleted in the fi rst year.

“Weatherization is synonymous with energy effi ciency,” said Jay Bell, who was recently hired as program manager for the Energy Conservation Corps. “Th e ultimate goal is just to reduce the energy use in homes.”

Th e program is funded in part with $121,000 from AmeriCorps, a national service program for young adults some-times described as the domestic Peace Corps. Participants in the Energy Con-servation Corps will be 18 to 24 years old. Th ey 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 holis-tic energy-related home improvements for low-income families and training young adults in green building practices with the hope that they will use those

skills aft er their service. About 10 young men and women

will participate in the Energy Conserva-tion Corps each six-month term. All of those recruited for the fi rst term are from Charleston and North Charleston com-

munities, Bell said. “Th ey’re going to take a great sense of

pride in working with their communi-ties,” he said.

Th e AmeriCorps funding is a one-year 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 Effi ciency Block Grants.

Corps participants will receive train-ing in green building practices at Trident Technical College. Trident Tech is one of six technical colleges in South Caro-lina receiving federal stimulus dollars to train people working on stimulus-funded weatherization projects.

Th e S.C. Offi ce of Economic Oppor-tunity has developed criteria for weath-erization training and partnered with the technical college system to ensure

Bryan Cordelldirector, Sustainability Institute

Energy costs

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Charleston Green Guide A9

that stimulus-funded projects are based on practices that are standard statewide.

Th e special green building train-ing is currently available only to those people working on projects funded by federal stimulus dollars, said Lou-ise Cooper, director of the Economic Opportunity Offi ce. State offi cials 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 qualifi ed green builders.

“When the crew leaves, when they graduate, they’re not just leaving with on-the-job training; they’re leaving with paper certifi cation for green building,” Bell said.

Low- and moderate-income residents in the cities of Charleston and North Charleston will apply for the energy effi ciency 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.

Th e Energy Conservation Corps will have a set budget for each home and likely will not allow for major effi ciency upgrades such as new heating and air sys-tems, Bell said. Th e budget per home has not yet been determined.

But improvements will be long-term solutions, not short-term fi xes that must be repeated time and time again, Bell said.

Cordell said some cities help low-income homeowners make emergency fi xes to their houses, such as a roof repairs. But those programs don’t address energy effi ciency in a holistic way that will bring

savings. “Th is program will do that,” he said.Bell said the program will be a model

in the Southeast.Th e Sustainability Institute is also

collaborating on the project with the Lowcountry Civic Justice Corps, a local program that off ers training in green building practices to individuals who’ve been incarcerated for nonviolent crimes and are nearing the end of their terms. Th at organization already has experi-ence working with AmeriCorps and with green building, Cordell said. cr

bj

Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843-849-3129.

The Energy Conservation Corps aims to weatherize 200 homes by 2011, with 50 completed the first year.

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Taking simple steps to make a big difference

Deconstructor: Waste ‘keeps me awake at night’By Allison Cooke Oliverius

aoliverius@scbiznews.com

When 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 four-bedroom 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.

Th e distinction between demolition and deconstruction is one O’Brien is quick to point out. Th is home won’t be torn down and the bulk of the materials sent to the landfi ll.

Instead, O’Brien and her small crew have been hired by the homeowners to painstakingly remove fl oorboards, wall-boards, windows, beams, sinks, toilets, cabinets — anything that can be salvaged. Th e 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 certi-fi ed in deconstruction by the Building Materials Reuse Association. She began Sustainable Warehouse, which functions

as a nonprofi t, 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 environmen-tally responsible way can hire Sustainable Warehouse to determine what materials can be salvaged and then strip down the structure. Th e fee a business or home-owner pays covers the cost of deconstruc-tion and the cost to dispose of materials that cannot be reused.

In return, the property owner receives a tax deduction for the donation of reus-able 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 certifi cation.

Th e materials O’Brien saves from the landfi ll are stored at her warehouse and mostly sold via www.sustainable-warehouse.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.

“Th e profi t margin is not great,” O’Brien said, smiling. “But I’m not in it for the money. To me, and to a lot of peo-ple who value the reuse of materials, it’s

about fi nding a home for them.“I just don’t like waste,” she contin-

ued. “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 Th e Cigar Fac-tory, a 125-year-old building in down-town Charleston that was fi rst used for cotton and then cigar production. In more recent years, it was used for offi ce and warehouse space and once housed Johnson & Wales University.

Th e 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 devel-opment. O’Brien and her crew worked at Th e 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 ben-efi ts of recycling and reusing materials.

She sits on the Charleston Green Com-mittee’s Recycle Subcommittee and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Lowcoun-try Steering Committee. In addition, she is chairwoman of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Lowcountry Programs. cr

bj

Reach Allison Cooke Oliverius at 843-849-3149.

Rebecca O’Brien of Sustainable Warehouse.

(Photo/Wally Carey, focussharp.com)

Charleston Green Guide A11

These industry-specifi 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/.

A12 Charleston Green Guide

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Carbon footprint reduction: Good for the environment, good for your business

By Allison Cooke Oliveriusaoliverius@scbiznews.com

Although reducing your carbon footprint is not a new concept, Terry Logan of Efficient Energy

Advisors says it’s only now that individu-als, business owners and government agencies are really beginning to under-stand the economic benefits of doing so.

Effi cient Energy Advisors is a new company, founded by Beaufort County entrepreneur John Rosenberg, that helps commercial and insti-tutional clients reduce their energy costs.

Th e company begins with an energy audit and then off ers suggestions on ways to reduce energy consumption and save money.

Solutions include making a structure more energy-effi cient, using renewable

energy and purchasing carbon credits.“At the end of the day, it’s still econom-

ics,” Logan said, “and a lot of the energy-saving ideas, such as alternative fuel, is not new. ... It just didn’t make economic sense when fossil fuels weren’t so expensive. It’s only going to become more expensive and more limited in supply because the rest of

the world is develop-ing and their energy consumption is only going to increase. Th e economics are going to change in favor of some of these alterna-tive energy technolo-gies.”

Waste to energyLogan, a scien-

tist and part owner of Effi cient Energy Advisors, begins by explaining that humans are at fault

for the global warming that is impacting the environment.

“Human activity since the dawn of the industrial age has increased the

Berkeley County Water & Sanitation signed an agreement to sell to Santee Cooper the methane it har-

vests from the county landfill. The utility will then convert the gas into electricity. (Photo/Berkeley County)

“Human activity since

the dawn of the industrial

age has increased

the concentrations of

so-called greenhouse

gases in the atmosphere.”

Terry LoganEfficient Energy Advisors

Charleston Green Guide A13

concentrations of so-called greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” he said. “Th ese 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 green-house 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 absorp-tion of infrared radiation. Methane is one of those gases.

Scientists say methane gas, a natural byproduct of the rotting of materials in landfi lls, 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 eff orts to harness methane from land-fi lls 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 landfi ll that will be used to draw out the methane.

Th e county is waiting on the delivery of a fi nal piece of equipment, called a blower/fl are station, that will actually pull the gas out of the ground. Th e station was expected to arrive by the end of October, and testing should begin in November.

Once the gas is pulled from the land-fi ll, there are two options: Th e gas can be burned at the blower/fl are 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 gen-erators up and running by August 2010.

Berkeley County has also signed a contract with Blue Source Inc., a national fi rm that buys and sells carbon credits. Credits can be earned when methane is removed from the atmosphere, and they

are traded like stocks. “Th ere 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 environ-ment. And three, not only are we remov-ing them, we are substituting this form of energy for another, cleaner form.”

Good for businessTh e carbon credits that entities earn

from the reduction of carbon emis-sions are traded on the Chicago Climate Exchange, a legally binding greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading system.

Th e credits are sold to entities that use them to off set their own emissions.

“Th e 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 monetiz-ing and collecting credits,” Martin said. “People are going to need these credits to meet newer, tougher standards.”

Th ese 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?’ Th e European countries are ahead of us in this stance.”

He added that, with the legislation being considered, “Th ere is a lot of uncer-tainty right now, and the more advanced companies tend to want to get ahead of the curve. Th ey are asking, ‘How can I reduce my carbon footprint, what is it going to take and what is it going to mean for me fi nancially?’ ” cr

bj

Reach Allison Cooke Oliverius at 843-849-3149.

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Berkeley County is one of six counties in South

Carolina to install a landfill extraction system for

methane. (Photo/Berkeley County)

A14 Charleston Green Guide

By Ashley Fletcher Framptonaframpton@scbiznews.com

More than half of the 6.7 mil-lion 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 offi cials have been try-ing to fi nd a cost-eff ective way to recycle restaurants’ shells for refurbishing of public oyster beds and stabilization of shorelines. Th e state now buys out-of-state shells for those purposes.

Jennings said DNR previously consid-ered hiring a waste collection company to pick up the used oyster shells but aban-doned the idea when cost estimates came in around $3,000 per month.

“Logistically, it was a nightmare,” said Andy Jennings, oyster shell recycling pro-gram coordinator with the S.C. Depart-ment 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 res-toration specialist with Th e Nature Con-servancy. 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 upLocal restaurants already signed up are

Charleston Place, Fleet Landing, Hank’s Seafood, Liberty Taproom, Pearlz restau-rants and Peninsula Grill.

Pearlz restaurants tried to recycle oys-ter shells in the past, said Emmy Scott, marketing director for TBonz Restau-rant Group, of which Pearlz is a part. Th e 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.

The financial sideBrown said the federal grant helps

defray the cost of pickup; the $20 pickup fee is lower than it would be. Th e money also pays for the collection bins, as well as window decals that restaurants can dis-play, helping market the program.

Chris Fisher, owner of Fisher Recy-cling, said the partnership is not a profi t 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 har-vesting takes away that option unless the shells are returned to the waters.

Th e 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 coast-al sites, oft en aft er home oyster roasts.

DNR also places recycled oyster shells in some non-harvest areas to stabilize the shoreline and help fi lter the water.

Additional grants would be sought if the fi rst year is successful, Brown said. Partners in the pilot are DNR, Fish and Wildlife, Th e 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 843-849-3129.

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Oyster recycling program targets local restaurants

Several local organizations and restaurants are

participating in an oyster shell recycling program

to refurbish public oyster beds. (Photo provided)

Charleston Green Guide A15

you bring it to shore and tie it to an exist-ing transmission system? Th at’s some-thing we’re looking at,” Gore said.

Another question is whether a wind farm is economically feasible. Gore said customers would pay a premium for ener-gy created by off shore winds when com-pared to nuclear or coal-powered energy. Th e farther from the coast an off shore 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. “Th at’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 off shore wind.

Th is spring, Nick Longfi eld, 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, Longfi eld said the companies and states that get in on the ground level of off shore wind farm development will reap the economic benefi ts for years to come.

“Many satellite companies will devel-op from an off shore wind farm project,” Longfi eld said. “And if you’re there at the start, you’ll not only benefi t locally, but you will become the experts.”

Longfi eld has more than 35 years’ expe-

rience in the maritime and alternative energy industries. He became involved in Great Britain’s fi rst off shore 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 Restora-tion Institute submitted an application in August for a U.S. Department of Energy grant to build a drivetrain and wind tur-bine testing facility at its campus in North Charleston.

Th e 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 fi ve other states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, Michigan and Massachusetts. Th e Energy Department is expected to name a winner soon.

Th e 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 con-gressional delegation for what he said appears to be a less-aggressive lobbying eff ort for the facility than those of other

states. Rigas said landing this facility could make South Carolina a major hub of off shore 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 man-ufacturer heading into the U.S. market.

With or without the Energy Depart-ment grant, the state is forging ahead in its study eff orts, said Erica Myers, the manager of renewable energy programs for the S.C. Energy Offi ce.

In 2008, the S.C. General Assembly created the Wind Energy Production Farms Feasibility Study Committee, made up of legislators and private citizens. Th e committee was charged with studying, reviewing and making recommendations about the potential for wind production inland or in off shore areas.

“Th ere are many things that need to be researched and analyzed before any tur-bine can be installed. So that’s what we’re in the process of doing,” Myers said.

Th e committee’s fourth and fi nal meet-ing 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.

WIND, continued from Page A1 ➤

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