N. CAROLINA A STEP CLOSER TO 1ST DIXIE RPS

Perhaps somebody will call this very noble and hard work being done in North Carolina to the Tennessee Senator’s attention. If it succeeds.

Energy bill advances in House
John Murawski, July 23, 2007 (The News & Observer)
and
North Carolina Panel Forwards Renewables-Efficiency Bill With Little Change
Margaret Lillard, July 24, 2007 (AP via Yahoo Finance)

WHO
House Committee on Energy and Energy Efficiency, North Carolina General Assembly;
Bill sponsor Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin; Rep. Susan Fisher, D-Buncombe
The states in green have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPSs). Notice the big block of white in the lower right corner. It will be exciting to see No. Carolina in green soon. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Endorsed by the Committee on Energy and Energy Efficiency, a bill establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) for the state now moves to House Committee on Public Utilities and another committee before going back to the Senate for approval of compromises made in the House.

WHEN
- Measure endorsed July 23. Worked out in multiple June sessions but just moved forward with compromises now. The House Committee on Public Utilities will take the measure up July 25.
- The RPS mandates percentages of electricity to be derived from renewable energies. Private utilities must meet their goal by 2021. Public utilities and co-ops must meet a slightly lower goal by 2018.

WHERE
The North Carolina state capital and seat of government is Raleigh.

WHY
- Progress Energy and Duke Energy must generate 12.5% of electricity by 2021. Public utilities and co-ops must get 10% by 2018. Savings from efficiency count.
Currently, most of North Carolina’s power comes from nuclear and coal. 2% comes from renewables.
- 24 states have RPSs. This would be the first among more renewable-hostile southeastern states.
- Progress and Duke won an important and controversial concession in the bill allowing them to finance plants before they are built if they show the plants are cheaper than renewables/efficiency. Environmentalists won a concession requiring waste-to-power plants meet clean air standards.
Every state has resources. But fossil fuels and conventional energies have long-standing incentives, subsidies and market segments. Renewables just need assurance, via an RPS, there will be comparable long-term demand. Then watch what happens in the marketplace. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
Fisher: "The questions that remain regarding this particular provision are too great for us to just throw the work from 1982 out the window. We need to get those questions answered. We owe it to the people we represent…"