By Olga Grlic, OCG Co-Chair
Just as some real progress has been made in solar energy development in North Carolina, a bill that could reverse this advance has been introduced by the legislature.
H 760, Regulatory Reform Act of 2015 and H 332, Energy Policy Amendments, freeze our Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (REPS) to the current 6% instead of allowing it to grow to 12.5% by 2021 (an easily achievable goal). Together with other provisions introduced in the bill will almost certainly slow down the installation of new solar projects in the state.
The benefits of the shift to solar power are manyfold, from the emission-free generation to job creation and price stability (no increase in fuel costs!) and have been recognized all over the world. However, while the rest of the world moves forward with great strides towards cleaner (and cheaper) energy future, our very sunny state is sliding backwards.
Since 2007, when the REPS was first introduced, North Carolina has been the only state in the Southeast with a requirement that a certain percentage of our energy come from clean energy sources. Since then, our state has seen tremendous growth in clean energy jobs and investment. As a result, North Carolina is consistently ranked as a national leader for solar energy.
On the other hand, this development is perceived as a problem by extraction industries and has been under threat by ALEC and vested utility interests who easily found legislators willing to do their bidding.
Meanwhile, neighboring states are moving ahead. Georgia and South Carolina have both acted recently to expand solar in their states.The new bill sends ambiguous signals to solar developers who have invested 2.6 billion in North Carolina since 2008, according to NC Sustainable Energy Association. For a solar systems map see: http://energyncmaps.org/gis/solar/index.html
If the House energy provisions in H 332 remain unchanged, the most likely outcome is that North Carolina’s solar industry growth will be severely restricted, and investment in clean energy will go instead to nearby states. This bill passed the Senate Finance Committee on a very controversial vote last week (there were apparently more nays than yeahs, but Chairman Rucho refused to allow a head count) and is likely to come to a vote on the Senate floor in the next week.
URGENT: Please take a moment and contact your state Senator and ask them NOT to support House Bills 332 and 760 that shift state policy away from solar energy, would hurt our state’s clean energy policies and set us back.
http://www.ncleg.net/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx
While the legislature is busy attempting to dismantle REPS and turn back the clock on alternative energy sources, the Energy Freedom Act (HB245), a bi-partisan bill that would boost renewable energy in North Carolina is stuck since March 17 in committee. This bill has support across the state from both parties, major businesses and environmentalists. By allowing companies to sell rooftop solar electricity directly to customers and this bill, if it became a law, would allow people who do not have the money to invest into their own solar array to chose clean energy and benefit from stable prices in the future.
Please contact your representatives and ask them to vote for HB 245 and promote access to solar power to all willing NC citizens.