The project includes a series of nine canopies, each covered with 10 solar panels and sheltering a bench, adding another level of functionality to the installation. The electricity generated by the panels will be metered and supplied to the grid through Palmetto Electric Cooperative’s distribution system. The structure will be available for students to conduct research on solar power for development as an alternative energy source.

Palmetto Electric Cooperative was the first electric cooperative in South Carolina to its customers, and Palmetto today has one of the largest groups of customers supporting the state’s original renewable energy program.

“Palmetto Electric is proud of the role we’ve played in bringing this 20-kilowatt solar power machine to our corner of the state,” said G. Thomas Upshaw, Palmetto Electric president and chief executive officer. “We have promoted the benefits of renewable green power for years to our customers, and our customers have clearly said they want more.” Dr. Tom Leitzel, TCL president, said, “TCL is honored to showcase these advances in alternative energy. It fits per- fectly with the renewable energy emphasis we stress in our industrial and engineering technology curricula.” Solar power technology has been expensive for South Carolina utilities to implement in large scale, because of the state’s haze and humidity. Santee Cooper advances in the industry, and is pro- moting broad understanding of solar power through demonstration projects such as this. Santee Cooper has installed several demonstration-scale solar models around the state, including a 20-kW energy storage solutions at the Center for Hydrogen Research in Aiken, and several 2-kW arrays at its Green Power Solar Schools, offering middle school science lessons in partnership with the state’s electric cooperatives. TCL New River adds solar panel showcase Dr.Tom Leitzel,president of Technical College of the Lowcountry,speaks at the dedication of the largest solar installation in the Lowcountry at the TCL's New River Campus near Bluffton.