Download North Carolina’s renewable electricity PDF
Renewable Mandate Status: Unknown (unimplemented)
- 2009 Estimated Qualified Renewable Generation: 1.5%[i]
- 2009 Renewable Mandate: None
- 2021 Renewable Mandate: 12.5% for IOU’s (10% for municipal utilities and cooperatives by 2018) [ii]
Eligible Resources: Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat, Solar Thermal Electric, Solar Thermal Process Heat, Photovoltaics, Landfill Gas, Wind, Biomass, Geothermal Electric, CHP/Cogeneration, Hydrogen, Anaerobic Digestion, Small Hydroelectric, Tidal Energy, Wave Energy[iii]
- Hydroelectric can meet up to 30% of requirement
- Solar: 0.2% in 2018 , Swine Waste: 0.2% in 2018 Poultry Waste: 900 GWh in 2014[iv]
Compliance schedule[v] for investor-owned utilities:[vi]
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Renewable portfolio history: In Aug 2007, NC Legislature passed Senate Bill 3, establishing RPS and in February 2008, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued an order adopting final rules to implement the REPS. [vii]
- Utilities may recover the incremental cost of renewable resources and up to $1 million in alternative energy research expenditures annually from customers. The cost per customer account is capped according to this schedule:
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Credit Trading: Yes
Noncompliance penalty: There are no specified penalties or alterative payments for noncompliance, however, the North Carolina Utilities Commission may enforce compliance through its general authorities.[viii]
Electricity Price Ranking: 24th Lowest[ix]
- 8.53 cents/KWh in North Carolina
- 7.67 cents/KWh in non-mandated states
[i] Electricity Generation Data: Energy Information Administration, Electricity Generation 2009, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/generation_state_mon.xls.
[ii] General Assembly of North Carolina (2009). http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S960v6.pdf
[iii] “North Carolina,” http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NC09R&re=1&ee=1
[iv] General Assembly of North Carolina (2009). http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S960v6.pdf
[v] Database of state Incentives for Renewables and Electricity, North Carolina. http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NC09R&re=1&ee=1.
[vi] Note that each year’s percentage requirement refers to the previous year’s electricity sales (i.e. the 2021 goal is 12.5% of 2020 retail sales).
[vii] Database of state Incentives for Renewables and Electricity, North Carolina. http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=NC09R&re=1&ee=1.
[viii] See North Carolina General Statutes § 62-2, http://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bychapter/chapter_62.html.
[ix] EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B., Average Retail Price of Electricity, June 2010, Released Sept. 15, 2010, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_b.html.
