South Carolina

After a new nuclear power plant was cancelled, legislators from both parties endorsed a regionally progressive electricity-generation policy. “South Carolina Republicans have been ahead of the game,” one activist said.

In Edgefield and nearby Saluda, S.C., an elementary school and a town hall have installed solar electricity systems that are expected to save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Low-interest loan programs have helped make the initiatives successful. “Not many local governments and school districts in South Carolina have embraced solar power, which can involve navigating utility incentives and state Energy Office loans, but several that have taken the plunge couldn't be happier.