Powering a New South

Powering a New South is an interactive, multimedia project which showcases regional voices and how we are affected by our energy choices. Students from across the university, including those in marine science and photography, traveled across the state to interview community members, policy makers and activists to understand the future of South Carolina's electricity. The project was developed just as the last of South Carolina's coal plants, including the one closest to Coastal Carolina University, shuttered, and while politicians debated whether or not to open up the Carolina coast to oil exploration. This project works to tell the stories of South Caorlina's large, complicated power system through the eyes of the people and communities on the front lines.

The Project

Powering a New South employs local voices to make sense of the emerging energy landscape in South Carolina. In a region that's exploring offshore drilling and wind energy, the project represents a diverse set of voices: from a student struggling to pay his electric bill to an activist who fought offshore drilling. These narratives are annotated with scientific, policy, and environmental research that contextualizes these voices in a global conversation through an interactive digital publication. The project also includes a cellphone solar power bank to make renewable energy more available and collectively impact users' carbon footprint.

Credits