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Unpacking HB951
On Oct. 13, 2021, Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 951 Energy Solutions for North Carolina (HB951) into law, enacting a decade’s worth of energy policy to come. This bipartisan legislation–borne of a lengthy stakeholder process initiated in the North Carolina House of Representatives and culminating last week with the release of a compromise bill negotiated between Senate leader Phil Berger and Gov. Cooper–will alter North Carolina’s energy policy landscape in a number of significant…
Read More2021 National Clean Energy Week (NCEW)
And that’s a wrap for National Clean Energy Week! For the last five days (September 20–25), we’ve been celebrating organizations, innovators, and policies that have been impactful to the clean energy landscape in North Carolina. This nationwide celebration was made possible “by a network of national clean energy leaders dedicated to reducing emissions while growing the…
Read MoreReducing Energy Requirements from the Start
Originally published in August 2021 – Clean Energy Storyteller. For many decades now, homebuilders have employed the use of wood or metal framing when constructing the structural framework of a project. While these traditional methods have their advantages, and while advancements have been made on increasing the performance of stud framed homes, the potential for…
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know About Building Performance and HERS Ratings
What is building performance? In today’s world, we have grown so accustomed to our built environment that we rarely consider the nuances of the processes that keep all of the essential buildings we use running. One of the only times we may consider all of these moving parts is when we receive our utility bills every month. If you notice your electric bill…
Read MoreEpisode 53: Flexin’ on Energy Storage
Today, NCSEA released the 53rd episode of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast, “ Flexin’ on Energy Storage in North Carolina,” which focuses on the development and delivery of energy storage technology. To highlight North Carolina’s role in this exciting wave of innovation, host Matt Abele speaks with Jason Abiecunas, Vice President of Development at FlexGen about his company’s role in building out the storage economy of the future. As the…
Read MoreA Guide to Using Smart Thermostats
In the past few years, smart thermostats have become popular among environmentally-conscious homeowners. With them, homeowners become more energy efficient – making the most out of their HVAC unit while saving energy and money without compromising the comfort level of their home.
Read MoreEpisode 52: Powering More Than Sunscreen
On Thursday, NCSEA released the 52nd episode of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast, “Zinc Powering More Than Just Your Sunscreen,” where host Matt Abele investigated the development of zinc storage and its industrial presence in North Carolina. In his interview with Executive Director Andrew Green and Manager of the Zinc Battery Initiative, Morgan Frederick, from the International Zinc Association, Matt discussed the benefits of zinc storage and the abundance of zinc assets in North…
Read MoreSCE Bonus Episode: HOAs & Rooftop Solar
On July 9, the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) released a surprise bonus episode of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast, “Live and Back in Action – HOAs, Rooftop Solar.” For this special live recording, Host Matt Abele went on location to the Amberly Master Community’s 2021 Earth Day Event in Cary, NC where he spoke with NCSEA’s member solar installation…
Read MoreNorth Carolina clean energy and building performance nonprofits NCSEA and NCBPA sign merger agreement
North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) announced today the merger of the North Carolina Building Performance Association (NCBPA) with NCSEA—bringing together two of the leading voices in North Carolina’s clean energy transition. Conversations about the consolidation of the two nonprofit organizations has been ongoing for several months, and as of July 1, 2021 the NCBPA…
Read MoreEpisode 51: Energy Storage
Last Friday, episode 51 of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast, “David Roberts on the Future of Energy Storage,” was released. Host Matt Abele interviews former Vox journalist David Roberts who, in December 2020, launched his own energy and politics newsletter called Volts. Roberts explains that Volts “features analysis of the latest research, technologies, and policy debates involved in the quest to leave behind fossil fuels, along…
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