The long darkness is over! OK, that’s a bit melodramatic but … after many years of very little access to energy efficiency programs, Southeastern households and businesses are finding that their utilities may be offering attractive and comprehensive energy efficiency programs. As recently as 2008, significant energy efficiency programs in the Southeast were limited to [...]
Why would a company that builds power plants host a reception at an event that is likely to help reduce the use of electricity? Well, the 2010 conference of the International Code Council is underway in Charlotte, NC. And building energy efficiency is the topic of the day! After the first two of five days of [...]
Rumor has it that Duke Energy plans to convert the Dan River power plant from coal to biomass fuel. However, the NCUC reached its decision when considering the relatively insignificant amount of biomass being used in two pilot co-firing projects. There was big news for biomass issued out of North Carolina this month (Charlotte Business [...]
Two weeks ago, SACE provided detailed analysis and findings based on evaluation of proposed energy efficiency programs filed by Florida power utilities. Over the past couple of days, one of those utilities responded. Progress Energy Florida feels that our comments “should not be considered ” by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC). Progress Energy also [...]
Want solar on your rooftop, but can’t afford to buy the panels yourself? If you’re a Duke Energy customer, you can sign up with your utility to install their solar panels on your rooftop. Duke Energy announced the selected sites of the first phase of its 10 megawatt, $50 million distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) program [...]
Sign NC Conservation Network’s Petition Opposing Duke’s 18% Rate Increase TODAY! Have you heard the news? Duke Energy wants to raise customer utility bills… in part to pay for dirty coal. Throughout September, the North Carolina Utilities Commission hosted public hearings around the state on the proposed Duke Energy rate increase. The conclusion of the [...]
Apple Computer is the latest in a long-line of American businesses leaving the Chamber of Commerce over climate policy. They resigned today with a letter stating: “We strongly object to the chamber’s recent comments opposing the E.P.A.’s effort to limit greenhouse gases,” wrote Catherine A. Novelli, the vice-president of worldwide government affairs at Apple, in [...]
While many Americans and most of the media remained focused on the issue of health care policy, corporate giants are quietly and not-so-quietly choosing sides in another national debate: energy and climate policy. Although some energy titans are predictably on the defensive as Congress crafts a new energy policy, others are emerging as unlikely allies [...]
With less fanfare than you might expect, state governments and utilities in the Carolinas have moved forward on energy efficiency. In total, we estimate that these programs could reduce electricity demand by about 8% in 2020. Cumulative Impacts Total North Carolina South Carolina Duke Energy Progress Energy 2009-2020 New Efficiency Initiatives Efficiency Building Codes Update [...]
Today we announced an agreement with Duke Energy Carolinas (pdf here) to dramatically increase the size of the “Save-a-Watt” energy efficiency program, while at the same time adding features to ensure that it is fair to customers. If Duke Energy follows through and meets the targets, by 2020 the energy savings will be more than [...]
