What are the best ways for U.S. cities to combat climate change? A new study co-authored by an MIT professor indicates it will be easier for cities to reduce emissions coming from residential energy use rather than from local transportation — and this reduction will happen mostly thanks to better building practices, not greater housing density.
NC CLEAN PATH 2025
In August 2017, NC WARN published North Carolina Clean Path 2025: Achieving an Economical Clean Energy Future, a plan for quickly transitioning the state’s electricity from fossil fuels to solar, battery storage and enhanced energy efficiency.
Local teams are working around the state to implement the plan. Learn more here. The articles below are either about the NC CLEAN PATH 2025 plan or about similar efforts underway in other places.
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Statewide TV Ad Lampoons Duke Energy, Promotes Shift to Solar, Batteries — News Release from NC WARN
The ad, produced for NC WARN, began today during TV newscasts in all major markets, and a version appears on news websites statewide. It’s part of a new campaign promoting a statewide strategy – NC Clean Path 2025 – to rapidly replace coal and natural gas with local solar power and battery storage.
In 5 Years, Batteries Will Blanket The U.S., Duke Executive Says — Forbes
Five years. That’s how soon batteries can be expected to sprout all over the electric grid as utilities and homeowners drop in on a wave of falling prices, a Duke Energy executive said in Chicago Thursday. “There’s going to be a lot of excitement around batteries in the next five years. And I would say that the country will get blanketed with projects,” said Spencer Hanes, a managing director of business development with the Charlotte, North Carolina-based utility.
Solar-Church Test Case Goes to State Supreme Court — News Release from NC WARN
A test case that goes to the heart of Duke Energy’s monopoly control over captive customers will be decided by the NC Supreme Court. Climate justice nonprofit NC WARN today filed with the high court an appeal of the case, which began in June 2015 when the group began selling solar power to the Faith Community Church in Greensboro from a system installed on the roof of the church.
Greensboro church headed to N.C. Supreme Court over solar panels – Winston-Salem Journal
Your Next Home Could Run on Batteries — Wall Street Journal
In the near future, your home could be battery operated. This is especially true if you live in New York, California, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Vermont, Arizona or a growing roster of other states and municipalities experimenting with revamping their electrical grids for the 21st century.
Watchdogs to Duke CEO: Solar with batteries, NOT more fossil fuels
Duke Energy remains on the wrong side of the accelerating climate crisis despite spending tens of millions of dollars annually to make the news media, civic leaders and the public believe otherwise. Your carbon emissions continue to rise due to the super-potent methane leaking and venting throughout the natural gas supply chain – while you oppose requirements to capture it. And tragically, your total generation in the Carolinas remains less than 2% renewable.
While U.S. moves toward coal, China bets big on solar — CBS News
China, on the other hand, is doing the opposite. Coal is on the way out and solar power is coming in. On a farm in northern China, they are planting a new crop: Nearly 200,000 solar panels in the heart of coal country. [includes video]
Altamonte Springs forms its own utility as it moves toward renewable energy — Orlando Sentinel
Hoping to slash the city’s annual $2 million power bill, Altamonte Springs soon will launch its own municipal utility with the goal of providing electricity from solar, wind and other renewable energy sources to government facilities, including City Hall and police and fire stations.
Legitimizing Gov. Cooper’s Climate Efforts – Letter to the Governor from NC WARN
North Carolina desperately needs your leadership to demand and create honest and open discussion regarding the climate crisis, this state’s contributions to it, and the very hopeful breakthroughs on solar power and battery storage that could make all the difference.
After the Hurricane, Solar Kept Florida Homes and a City’s Traffic Lights Running — Inside Climate News
By using energy storage with solar panels, some homeowners were able to go off-grid during Hurricane Irma, showing how distributed power could speed future storm recovery.