LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Legislative Dash Deals Setback for Energy Conservation Codes

Two years after winning majorities for the first time in over 140 years, North Carolina’s legislative Republicans expanded their margins in both the House and Senate on Election Day last Tuesday.  North Carolina will also have a new Governor and Lt. Governor in January – Pat McCrory easily won, yet the race for the number #2 spot remains too close to call.  Click here to view unofficial election results from the NC Board of Elections.

North Carolina’s economy continues to recover from the recession with our unemployment rate above the national rate. However, the good news is that several sectors, including clean energy, are hiring employees, expanding their businesses, and pumping millions into local economies in every region of our state.  These and other important economic findings are detailed in the newly released 2012 North Carolina Clean Energy Industries Census.  Retaining and creating jobs and fostering new economic development opportunities must continue to be a top priority for all North Carolinians, especially businesses and policymakers – and the clean energy sector holds great promise and opportunities if we maintain a balance of pro-business policies and regulations.

Click here to download the 2012 NC Clean Energy Industries Census.

Green power is electricity produced from renewable generation sources such as biogas, solar and wind turbines. These renewable energy sources are cleaner than traditional sources of electricity that produce carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas linked to global climate change. Green power purchases support the development of new, renewable energy capacity.

Lowe's was recognized for its voluntary purchase of green power for use at stores and warehouses in North and South Carolina, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas. Lowe's purchases the green power in the form of electricity generated from biogas, solar, and wind resources from six different providers. Lowe's remains the largest purchaser of green power in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service area as well as North Carolina.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. ­- Carolinas MED-1 – a mobile hospital owned by Carolinas HealthCare System – is again leading innovation in disaster response via a partnership with members of the Charlotte energy hub. Through integration of energy efficient solutions and renewable energy technology MED-1 will become less dependent on fossil fuels.

NC Sustainable Energy Association's "Crafting a Professional Playbook for Clean Energy Financing & Development" drew 150 participants to the Piedmont Natural Gas building in Charlotte. The event brought together accountants, architects, attorneys, banking executives, venture capitalists, clean energy developers, installers, engineers and others to connect, share ideas and gain insiders’ perspectives into the world of clean energy financing. Discussion topics included the fundamentals of clean energy financing and incentives and best practices for funding clean energy projects.

ASHEVILLE — FLS Energy of Asheville has been named North Carolina’s fastest growing company for the second year in a row by Inc. Magazine. Coming in at No. 109 in this year’s  Inc. 500 list, FLS Energy shares an exclusive ranking  with the nation's top 500 fastest-growing private companies.  Last year, FLS Energy ranked No. 46.

North Carolina is leading the Southeast in the emerging clean energy economy and our state's valuable energy businesses. Below are just a few of the recent major announcements and innovations from across our state. (Click on each hyperlink below to read more about each project.)

SOLAR
A combination of federal and state tax credits, plummeting equipment prices and an environmentally savvy population has led to a dramatic increase in the number of Wilmington rooftops outfitted with solar panels, according to local installers.

Camp Lejeune is in the process of building multiple photovoltaic farms that will give the base the ability to generate up to 10 MW of instant solar energy at any time.

WIND
Among the many economic questions facing our nation at the moment is something called the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for those involved in the environmentally friendly production of energy through the harnessing the natural flow of air across Earth's surface.

Charles Krekelberg of Samsel Architects in Asheville, NC recently collaborated with students from Evergreen Community Charter School and AB-Tech to design and build an outdoor classroom on the ECCS campus. Sixth graders from Evergreen were taught how to use computer software to create three-dimensional designs for the outdoor space. These designs were then put into the hands of college level AB-Tech students who developed a single hybrid design that reflected the most educationally engaging features from the original designs. ECCS students and teachers and the AB-Tech students worked along side Green Opportunities trainees and volunteers from the community to build the outdoor classroom.  Features of the space include a hempcrete storage shed, expansive gardens and a covered classroom with a cob oven.

To read more about the project and see images, visit Samsel Architect’s blog at http://samselarchitects.com/?blog-entry=educational-collaboration-at-an-asheville-charter-school.