Posts by Allison Eckley
NCSEA Celebrates DOE Announcement of Solar Ready Vets Program at Ft. Bragg
The NC Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) applauds yesterday’s US Department of Energy announcement of five new Solar Ready Vets training programs, including a program at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, NC with Fayetteville Technical Community College as the training provider. NCSEA worked with the Energy Department, the NC Military Business Center, and Fayetteville Technical Community College to connect…
Read MoreAction Alert: Bill to Add Onerous Fees, Regulations on Renewable Energy Industry & Limit Private Property Rights
ACTION ALERT: Senate Bill 843 It’s hard to believe that in a state which was just voted #3 for business, you’d see a bill adding 10 pages of new permitting regulations to a thriving North Carolina industry. Senate Bill 843 was filed yesterday by Senator Bill Cook (R-Beaufort) and Senator Andrew Brock (R-Davie), and seeks to bring renewable…
Read MoreAction Alert: Support the Biomass Thermal Utilization Act
An opportunity to enact provisions of the Biomass Thermal Utilization Act has presented itself in the form of the Federal Aviation Administration’s reauthorization bill which is now being considered on the U.S. Senate floor. “The BTU Act allows renewable biomass thermal energy to qualify for the same federal tax credits that wind and solar have…
Read MoreNCSEA Statement on North Carolina House Bill 2
Like numerous other organizations operating inside and outside of North Carolina, the NC Sustainable Energy Association has concerns about the State’s recently-enacted House Bill 2. Our organization values and strives for inclusiveness because it is right; moreover, it is good for business. If recent actions by many across the country are any indication, this legislation…
Read MoreUpdate: NCSEA Statement on Renewable Energy Safe Harbor Law
One-Year Extension for Clean Energy Projects Completed in 2016 Would Generate Up to $3 Billion in Additional Investments Update: As predicted, not all of the renewable energy projects that originally filed for the Safe Harbor provision met the development threshold in the law by March 1, 2016. According to the NC Department of Revenue, of…
Read MoreBreaking Down REPS Misinformation
The attacks from those trying to slow the success of clean energy in North Carolina keep coming. A key policy behind the growth of North Carolina’s clean energy economy, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) has been singled out time and time again by clean energy opponents. We expect the REPS, a…
Read MoreThe Clogged (and Worsening?) State of QF Interconnection in North Carolina
Six graphs filed by North Carolina’s investor-owned utilities provide insight into the state of QF interconnection in North Carolina. Below, you will see two graphs for Duke Energy Carolinas (a Q4 2015 snapshot paired with a Q1 2016 snapshot), two graphs for Duke Energy Progress, and two graphs for Dominion North Carolina Power. The clogged (and worsening?) state of North…
Read MoreNCSEA Maps Current Capacity Awaiting Interconnection at Substations Across the State
NCSEA’s market intelligence team has mapped out the queued capacity and voltage information for individual substations using Duke Energy Carolinas (DEC), Duke Energy Progress (DEP), and Dominion North Carolina Power’s (DNCP) Interconnection Queue Performance Report. Interconnection is the process by which generating resources including solar, wind, biomass, and battery storage tie to the electric grid.…
Read MoreNCSEA to DEQ: Revise Clean Power Plan Rules
Today, NCSEA’s regulatory counsel sent a letter officially opposing the NC Department of Environmental Quality’s (“DEQ”) proposed rules to implement the Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) Clean Power Plan in North Carolina. As stated in the letter, NCSEA opposes the state rules currently proposed by DEQ, citing their failure to: Comply with the Clean Power Plan; Utilize renewable energy…
Read MoreNCSEA Statement: Anticipated “Safe Harbor” Renewable Energy Investment Tax Credits in 2016
One-Year Extension for Clean Energy Projects Completed in 2016 Would Generate Up to $3 Billion in Additional Investments Despite broad bi-partisan support, the final state budget passed by the N.C. General Assembly in September did not include an extension of the state renewable energy investment tax credit (REITC), which is scheduled to expire on January…
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