Senator Udall Shines a Light on South Carolina and Wind Energy

This article is cross-posted from the Southern Aliance for Clean Energy's Blog

Senator Udall focuses on South Carolina wind energy manufacturing

Yesterday, Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) made a speech on the floor of the Senate to save American wind energy jobs. As the seventh in a series of speeches focusing on wind energy jobs throughout the United States, Senator Udall spoke at length about wind jobs in South Carolina and the production tax credit.

While South Carolina currently does not have any large-scale wind farms, the state certainly benefits from tax credits for the wind industry. Dozens of companies throughout South Carolina provide services or components to the domestic and global wind energy industries. South Carolina’s largest single investment, ever, has been the Clemson University advanced drive train test facility in North Charleston – a $98 million investment in South Carolina. This investment’s primary charge is to serve as a testing platform for onshore and offshore wind turbines.

“South Carolina and Clemson are going to be global leaders in the development of these new technologies, and the question is ‘Where will these new turbines be built?’” said Senator Udall.

Senator Udall made it very clear – these investments in South Carolina are at risk without an extension of the production tax credit. Nationwide, some 37,000 jobs are at risk without this federal incentive. Without this incentive, countries like China may end up taking American jobs. You can check out Senator Udall’s speech on South Carolina, and other states, and sign the petition to save wind energy jobs at his website here.