Meeting gives residents chance to learn about solar energy

COWARD — Lynches River County Park’s newly completed Environmental Discovery Center played host Friday to S.C. Solar Council’s first Pee Dee meeting.

With roughly 50 people in attendance, the meeting gave area residents a chance to learn more about the benefits of using solar energy as opposed to more traditional forms of power.

Erika Hartwig — of the S.C. Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development Office and spokeswoman for the S.C. Solar Council — said she’s glad solar energy is becoming more commonplace in the state.

“I really see the S.C. Solar Council playing a critical role as we develop policies and regulations and engage in dialogue about how to assist the solar industry here,” she said. “It’s very young right now, but it will continue to grow as solar costs come down.”

Hartwig said it’s important to increase awareness of the benefits of solar energy to encourage people to consider new ways to get the energy needed.

David Wach, spokesman for Roche Carolina in Florence, said he was thrilled to see so many many people show up to learn what they can do to conserve energy.

Wach, a board member of the Solar Council and the Pee Dee chapter of the Sierra Club, gave a presentation to the assembled environmentalists explaining a solar cooling project in the works for Roche.

He said the project will use the abundance of South Carolina sunlight to chill water and help cool the Roche facility. The project’s cost is estimated to be $700,000, with $200,00 of that money coming from a state grant.

The plant will save about $57,000 a year in cooling costs during the hottest part of the year as a result, Wach said.

Joe Semiklose, utilities supervisor at Roche, said the international company has a focus on being environmentally conscious.

“It’s just the right thing to do,” he said. “We cut down the energy usage.”

Wach said Roche found out that “doing well while doing good,” is something of a company motto.

Hartwig said several incentives are in place to encourage commercial and residential consumers to make the switch to solar power.

“We have tax credit, which is worth 25 percent of the cost of the equipment and installation of the solar photovoltaic system,” she said.

Solar energy is ideal for people living in the Pee Dee, Hartwig said, because it can provide power even if a storm takes down power lines.

“It’s great if their power goes out or there is a hurricane,” she said. “Solar (power) can help them secure their needs for electricity and hot water.”

Some of the other reasons to use solar energy include the ecological benefits, Hartwig said.

“Solar is good for a lot of applications, especially for someone who is interested in protecting the environment or becoming more sustainable,” she said.

People who install solar systems typically are proud of the system and eager to show it off to friends and family while telling them about the benefits of going solar, Hartwig said.