The grant will finance the construction of a facility to test wind energy drivetrain components. The Clemson University Restoration Institute will operate the facility, which is slated to be built on a decommissioned Navy base. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of next year and conclude by 2012.
At least 113 construction jobs and 21 full-time positions will be created because of the test site, the institute says. Over 500 indirect jobs should be created, too.
John Kelly, the institute's executive director, noted South Carolina's strategic position "as an industrial hub for this evolving [wind] industry." And Nick Rigas, director of renewable energy at the Restoration Institute, said that "Clemson [and] the industry that will grow around the testing facility will drive wind energy research nationwide."
Continued energy research at academic institutions will be necessary to meet the Department of Energy's green energy goals, which include "20 Percent Wind by 2030."
