We’re working to ensure the state’s transition to a clean energy economy is affordable for all North Carolinians regardless of wealth or background.
North Carolina is undergoing a transition to clean, renewable electricity. Unfortunately, the plan under review (led by Duke Energy) fails to take equity and justice into full and fair account. If it goes into effect, low-wealth North Carolinians, who are disproportionately people of color, face steep increases in electricity rates, threatening to leave many more without the power they need to fuel their lives. What’s more, the state is failing to meaningfully include these communities in its planning process and isn’t centering electricity customers can generate on their own.
Our Campaign for Energy Justice aims to address these problems by reducing barriers to public participation in the state’s energy plan and ensuring that all North Carolinians have access to affordable electricity — including electricity they generate on their own — as North Carolina moves away from oil, gas, and dirty sources of energy and toward cleaner sources like wind and solar power.
A new policy brief explores how public utilities commissions in North Carolina and beyond can tap into the Inflation Reduction Act to advance clean energy.
In the Carbon Plan Duke Energy submitted to North Carolina regulators, the company claims its aim is to achieve the state’s climate goals, curb carbon emissions, and invest in renewable sources of energy. But the plan has dangerous drawbacks, including its failure to take equity and meaningful community engagement into full account. Duke Energy has also proposed new methane gas power plants that will add to climate pollution and harm overburdened communities. You can share your story and make your voice heard for climate and energy justice in North Carolina! Use our how-to for commenting on the Carbon Plan and a guide from Appalachian Voices to comment on the gas power plant proposal.
One barrier that often faces North Carolina residents seeking to adopt renewable energy: a lack of accessible information on funding energy upgrades and retrofits. An online toolkit launched in January 2024 seeks to change that, providing access to funding opportunities to all Carolinians regardless of race, gender, social standing, or political affiliation. The website is a collaborative effort of the Center for Progressive Reform, the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters Fund, Thrive North Carolina, Sierra Club South Carolina, NC Clean Energy Technology Center, Appalachian Voices, Interfaith Creation Care of the Triangle, and Vote Solar.
Our policy brief, Missing the Mark: How North Carolina’s Decarbonization Efforts Fall Short and How to Fix Them, identifies key shortcomings of the state’s Carbon Plan and explores policy solutions for greater public participation and climate and energy justice.
Our report, Power to the People: Advancing Energy Equity via Customer-Owned Electricity Generation, identifies policy barriers to customer-owned generation and explores policy solutions in North Carolina.
Sophie Loeb | November 7, 2024
North Carolina Utilities Commission Embraces Fossil Gas Over Solar and Wind Resources in Approved State Carbon Plan
Sophie Loeb | September 17, 2024
New Policy Brief Urges Public Utilities Commissions to Rise to the Clean Energy Challenge
Grayson Lanza | August 8, 2024
CAFO Lagoons in North Carolina: A Case Study in Advocacy and State Administrative Law
Experts weigh in on affordable energy in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Council of Churches submitted public comment on Duke Energy’s proposed decarbonization plan.
North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light submitted a petition to intervene on Duke Energy’s proposed decarbonization plan.