Wind Power Coming To The Upstate

By: Justin Cooper | News Channel 7
Published: June 12, 2009

There's a new idea blowing in the wind that could bring jobs to the Upstate while helping to clean the air at the same time. These winds of change could mean extra cash in your pocket.

It’s just a slight breeze. That's typically how things are here in the Upstate. We're not known for being a “windy” area. So, how do we take that small breeze and turn it into green energy? Well, a local business has the answer.

“Everybody's excited, everybody wants it, everybody wants to be tagged green.” Lynn Sherbert is like most South Carolinians when you talk about wind farms in the state.

“I was skeptical like everyone else was about wind energy in South Carolina,” she explains. Lynn works for VIENTO Energy Solutions, a company that wants to put its stamp on alternative energy in the Upstate.

“I have four children in schools. The most they teach them about environment and energy and cleaning up for the future is recycling week.” She says it's important to know her kids will have a cleaner environment to grow up in.

“This is going to save you money.” We like the sound of that. Meet Joseph Ramirez, president of Industrial Innovative Controls.

“We have to educate a lot of people because wind power has not reached us here as it should have some time ago,” he explains. Joseph and his company plan to build wind farms in the Upstate with newer technology that doesn't take a lot of wind to generate power.

“But these units, we're looking at capturing or actually feeding power to at least 10 to 15 homes at one time.”

Wind is one of the cleanest forms of energy. With the cooperation of local leaders, Joseph will build wind farms to create jobs and help the environment...something he says is important for our area.

“We have to look toward our future and if we don't, we won’t have one,” he says.

Joseph says that his company can install wind turbines in your yard which will help to save you money on your power bill. It may also help get you off the power grid so the power company goes from downtown to your own backyard.