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Recent Blogs and Press Releases

Fifteen students, young professionals attend MEW Conference, thanks to scholarship

Nov 1, 2024

Thanks to a grant from the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, NCSEA extended 15 scholarships to students and early-career professionals to attend our annual Making Energy Work Conference, held October 23-24.   The recipients represented a broad range of clean energy industries, hailing from towns and cities across North Carolina, including Boone, Wilmington, Elon, Charlotte,…

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NC Utilities Commission Approves New Green Source Advantage Choice Large Customer Program 

Sep 10, 2024

Duke Energy recently revamped its Green Source Advantage program, a renewable energy tariff for large business customers.   Green Source Advantage was originally authorized under House Bill 589, passed in 2017, as a program to allow large energy customers to directly procure clean energy with Duke Energy facilitating the transaction. The program received the green light…

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C-PACE Financing Authorized by the NC Legislature Represents an Exciting Opportunity for the State

Sep 10, 2024

Due to a recent clean energy win at the legislature, North Carolina’s commercial property owners will soon have access to a key financing mechanism for energy-saving improvements through the authorization of Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE). With the passage of Senate Bill 802 by the N.C. General Assembly in late June and Gov. Roy…

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Transmission Planning – Unsung Hero of Our Clean Energy Future 

Sep 9, 2024

Achieving our clean energy future means upgrading and expanding our nation’s transmission grid, which is a complex and expensive proposition but with long-term benefits to customers.  We MUST get it right, and the NC Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) is heavily involved in stakeholder conversations that we hope will pave the way for decisive actions that…

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Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast Episode 114 (Summary and Transcript)

Aug 2, 2024

Solar energy is one of North Carolina’s most promising forms of renewable energy. There are nearly 39,000 residential, commercial, and utility-scale systems throughout the state. “Solar farms” are one form of solar energy production. These are large tracts of voluntarily leased farmland, which are financially advantageous for the landowners.   Despite all of the advantages, there are…

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Checking in on The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project: Podcast Episode 113 

Jul 22, 2024

What Can North Carolina Learn from Virginia’s Investments in Offshore Wind? The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Project in Virginia Beach is a great example of what could be done in North Carolina. John Larson of Dominion Energy recently joined NCSEA on the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast to discuss the specifics of the project and…

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The Role of Fuel Cost Volatility in Rising Electric Bills

Jul 18, 2024

When Duke Energy customers across the state got their utility bills earlier this year, many were shocked to find dramatic increases in the rates they were paying. The central reason: the high cost of natural gas.  In fact, EQ Research recently issued a report finding that between 46% and 67% (depending on where they live…

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Understanding Solar Net Metering Changes Impacting Duke Energy Customers

Jul 15, 2024

(Of note – the changes outlined in this blog took effect in October 2023.)  In 2023, the NC Utilities Commission approved changes to Duke Energy’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) policies for all customers-residential and nonresidential. These changes apply to both Duke Energy Carolina and Duke Energy Progress. It’s important for customers to understand the net…

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Bridging the Gap: Clean Energy Equity in North Carolina

Jul 8, 2024

Overview of Clean Energy in NC In recent years, North Carolina has emerged as a leader in solar energy adoption with over 9,000 MW of total installed solar capacity. While the overall picture of solar adoption in North Carolina is promising, significant disparities remain regarding who has access to these clean energy resources. Historically, low-income…

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Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast Transcription: Episode 112

Jul 3, 2024

Expediting OSW Development and Resource Diversification in NC (CPIRP) Duke Energy’s Carbon Plan (CPIRP) proceedings will continue to have huge impacts on the state of North Carolina for decades to come, defining how quickly our state can transition to renewable energy sources and who will reap the benefits. In a series of regulatory proceedings, NCSEA,…

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NCSEA Statement on SB802 (CPACE)

Jun 28, 2024

“The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association applauds the General Assembly for passing C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure) legislation today with the passage of Senate Bill 802. This new voluntary financing tool for businesses will facilitate investments in property improvements, unlock energy efficiency and weather resiliency, create jobs, and help reduce energy bills. Buildings will be better prepared to withstand…

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Five Things to Know as NC Plans its Energy Future  

Jun 28, 2024

The coming months are hugely important to North Carolina’s future as the North Carolina Utilities Commission reviews, and ultimately decides, Duke Energy’s plans for the next several decades.  This Carbon Plan / Integrated Resource Plan (CPIRP) process will lay out how Duke Energy produces electricity for decades and, as a result, how much we pay.…

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Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast Transcription: Episode 111

Jun 25, 2024

Customers Want More Clean Energy, but Why Isn’t There Any to Buy? North Carolina is home to numerous international corporations, many of which have ambitious sustainability goals. Currently, North Carolina is home to over 1,224 business-owned renewable energy projects, with ever-growing demand. Since 2017, Duke Energy’s Green Source Advantage (GSA) Program has offered large public…

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SB166 Puts North Carolinians’ Safety and Energy Savings on the Chopping Block 

Jun 12, 2024

Some of North Carolina’s largest housing developers are once again pushing the General Assembly to weaken building codes and roll back fire safety measures, all while trying to boost the building industry’s influence on the state’s appointed Building Code Council.  State legislators created the NC Building Code Council (NCBCC) in 1933 and authorized it to,…

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Advancing Consumer Protection within North Carolina’s Solar Industry 

May 7, 2024

The Importance of Protecting Residential Solar Consumers  Over the past few years, North Carolina has witnessed a rapid expansion in the solar industry. While utility-scale solar comprises most of the state’s installed capacity, 95% of the total number of installed systems are residential. Given the development of this market segment, it is vital that consumers…

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Upcoming Events

Update on the NC Carbon Plan/Integrated Resource Plan Order Webinar

The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued its most recent Carbon Plan Order  on November 1, 2024. The process was directed by House Bill 951: Energy Solutions for North Carolina (HB951), which required NCUC to take “all reasonable steps” to achieve 70% carbon emissions reductions from 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Join NCSEA for a…

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Farm-to-Table Dinner, Cooking Class, and Stay at the Lovill House Inn in Boone NC

Saturday, November 16th, Sun Raised Foods is hosting an intimate 4 course Farm to Table dinner at the historic Lovill House Inn in Boone NC. The event will start with a tour of the Lovill House property which was recognized as the sustainable energy project of the year in 2021, the sustainable tourism award in…

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Fall Farm Tour and Farm-to-Table Dinner

Join Sun Raised Foods for their farm to table event! Guests will get a tour of the entire farming operation including our 500 sheep, 120 acres of solar panels, and our Great Pyrenees dogs. After, we will sit down to 4-course gourmet farm-to-table dinner prepared by an award-winning chef Donald Irish from Raleigh, with tips…

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Fall Farm Tour and Farm-to-Table Dinner

Join Sun Raised Foods for their farm to table event! Guests will get a tour of the entire farming operation including our 500 sheep, 120 acres of solar panels, and our Great Pyrenees dogs. After, we will sit down to 4-course gourmet farm-to-table dinner prepared by an award-winning chef Donald Irish from Raleigh, with tips…

Event Details

Southeast Renewable Energy Summit

Join key Southeast state policymakers, critical decision makers, leading utility executives, financiers, renewable energy players, and more at Infocast’s Southeast Renewable Energy Summit this month! Don’t miss this opportunity to network with industry leaders and gain remarkable insights into the challenges and opportunities of renewable energy development in what will be a remarkably active market.

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NC Sustainable Energy Association Clean Energy Webinar for Candidates

Please join the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) for a webinar geared toward candidates interested in learning about cutting-edge clean energy policy issues that state leaders will likely encounter in the near future! In addition, this session will cover the basics of state energy policy including background on important energy laws and regulations and…

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Support Your Sustainable Future

“Having the ability to be able to work with a diverse set of partners, understanding the decision making arenas, the Utilities Commission, the Legislators, [NCSEA] is just a real key, critical partner.”

Help Us Bring Clean Energy Disaster Relief to Western North Carolina

NCSEA and Greentech Renewables Raleigh are teaming up with Footprint Project and Land of Sky Regional Council to provide critical need solutions through clean energy resources, such as temporary and long-term microgrids to provide power, water, and Wi-Fi to areas in Western North Carolina most significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene. Donate now.

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About NCSEA

North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) works to enable clean energy jobs, economic opportunities, and affordable energy options for North Carolinians.

Each and every day, we work toward a vision of a North Carolina where the benefits of clean energy, including economic development opportunities, more affordable consumer bills, job growth, market exports, local tax based expansion, and an improved quality of life, are bountiful for all North Carolinians. NCSEA works with its members and partners to transform our state and region's energy system through market innovation and policy advocacy primarily in ten clean energy technology sectors: alternative fuel vehicles (primarily electric vehicles), biogas, energy efficiency, energy storage, geothermal, hydropower/marine, smart grid, solar, and wind.

In 2023 NCSEA ...

%

sent 12 member newsletters
average open rate 45%

made 39 filings at the NCUC with 544 pages

shared +100 clean energy jobs

held 22 member calls

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Contact

4441 Six Forks Road  |  Suite 106-250
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609

919.832.7601

© 2024 NC Sustainable Energy Association