USC holds forum on coal, energy use

The University of South Carolina’s College of Engineering and Computing held a forum Wednesday to teach people more about how coal is used as a source of energy in the United States.
Dr. Michael Amiridis, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing at USC, said they decided to put the forums together to teach students and the public more about energy use, conservation and the future of energy in America. He said he hopes the forums will help people understand energy research to better equip themselves for dealing with the issues of conservation.
“Nothing is black and white,” he said. “All the issues with energy are shades of gray. There are many possible solutions and people are asked to make difficult decisions about the solutions. We hope this will help them make those decisions.”
The forum was the second of five in a series of forums — entitled “Forums on Our Energy Future” — on energy sources to be held by the university in the coming months
The forum in Florence was held at the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology at the Florence-Darlington Technical College campus.
Michael Couick, executive director of the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, weighed in on the need for a reliable energy source in the state, while agreeing that research to find a cleaner way to create the needed energy should be an ongoing process.
“I k now there are folks here who believe they’re going to hear a sales pitch as to why we shouldn’t do anything,” he said. “What you’re going to hear from me is more of a coaching that whatever we do, whatever choices we make, we take lots of things into account.”
For Blan Holman, of the Southern Environmental Law Center, the choice is simple — he said the U.S. needs to begin moving toward cleaner, renewable sources of energy and conservation. One place he said would be a great place to start is the proposed Santee Cooper coal plant in Kingsburg.
“I think the idea tonight is to speak more generally about coal, but the Pee Dee coal plant is a good example of the future coal is going to play in our energy future,” he said. “I don’t think the plant needs to built and there are better ways to meet our energy needs that will produce more jobs and less pollution.”
Boyd Stith, one of the forum attendees, said energy issues will play a role in his vote for the president in November.
“I think this is the first election in which global problems have been front running issues,” he said. “I think there are a lot of issues that are being skirted and pushed under the table. I’ll have some opinions that, hopefully, can be voiced at this election.”
He said he is opposed to the proposed coal plant.
“Hopefully, if they vote this thing down, they can start looking for new direction for power in this area,” Stith said.
Future forums taking place across the state will address such issues as hydrogen as a source of energy, renewable forms of energy and energy conservation.
For more details on future forums, call Chris Toumey at (803) 777-2221.