Solarize the Triangle Virtual Information Session on June 27, 2023

Building on the impact and success of its 2022 Solarize campaign, the Triangle Sustainability Partnership, a local government coalition, is offering an opportunity for local residents and businesses to purchase solar energy at discounted group rates in 2023.

Solarize the Triangle is a community-based group-purchasing program for solar energy, battery storage and other clean-energy technologies. Through this unique campaign, residents and businesses can save on the ordinary cost of a system through combined purchasing with others in the Triangle plus the availability of a federal tax credit.

Join a virtual information session on Tuesday, June 27 6:30-8:00 p.m. to learn more. The presentation will cover the group purchase discount program, how to take advantage of the incentives, benefits of the program, and how to enroll. Individuals may register for the information session on Zoom or visit the Facebook event.

Solarize campaigns are driven by the net effect of buying together during a single, defined period. Based on a tiered “bulk” purchasing concept, the more who contract for their solar installations through the program, the more savings accrue to all participating property owners.

Through the 2022 campaign, more than 180 home and business owners ultimately signed contracts to purchase renewable energy systems for their properties, yielding 2.4 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of annual energy production, more than $300,000 in annual utility bill savings, and nearly $6 million in new clean energy development locally.

Interested residents and businesses should sign up for a free evaluation at solarizethetriangle.com. The deadline to enroll is September 30, 2023. All residential solar and battery contracts must be completed by December 31, 2023. A separate deadline for commercial/non-profit contract completions is February 28, 2024.

In addition to Chatham County, other participating Triangle communities include: City of Raleigh, Durham County, City of Durham, Town of Cary, Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Hillsborough, Town of Carrboro, Town of Apex, Town of Morrisville, Orange County, and the Town of Holly Springs.

The Triangle J Council of Governments and Solar Crowdsource are facilitating the launch of Solarize the Triangle with this array of partnering local governments and selected installer, Yes Solar Solutions.

Clean Energy Breakthroughs By Research Teams at Argonne National Labs

Solarize the Triangle HOA Zoom Webinar, Wednesday January 18, 2023

Solarize the Triangle HOA Webinar

Description: Join to learn about how to navigate solar and your HOA.

The panelists for this HOA webinar consist of Don Moreland of Solar Crowdsource, Matt Abele, Director of Communications for the NC Sustainability Association, Jen Sligar, the chair of an HOA in Cary, Ron Madl, the head of the Sustainability Committee at Carolina Preserve, a neighborhood in Cary, the Sales Team from Yes Solar Solutions, and James Galvin of Thurman, Wilson, Boutwell & Galvin, PA.

Registration Required (Free)

Time: 06:30 PM Eastern DST

Chatham County NC Has Developed a New Mapping Tool Aimed at Helping Electric Vehicle (EV) Drivers Find Public Charging Stations

Individuals who drive an electric vehicle and utilize popular apps or websites to locate public chargers throughout Chatham County often experience large discrepancies in EV station info from app to app. From broken chargers and inaccurate locations to outdated pricing, finding consistent and up-to-date information can be a challenge for EV drivers in the county.

A team of staff members from the Environmental Quality, Geographic Information Systems, and Planning Departments developed a free, online tool to help overcome this challenge. Utilizing information collected and compiled from field surveys and online databases, the Chatham County EV Charging Station Finder is now available for community members to locate the charging stations that best fit their needs.

The EV Charging Station Finder is a web-based map that details helpful information for each charging station in Chatham County, such as exact location and nearby landmarks, photos, price, charging capacity, number and type of plugs, and station network. With the click of a button, the tool can open a station’s location in Google Maps to assist in navigation.

Since the needs of different electric vehicles can vary widely, the locator includes widgets designed to filter which stations are displayed by common requests, such as free chargers, stations that have the plug type compatible with specific vehicle models, or stations that offer the fastest charge. To ensure the EV Charging Station Finder remains up to date, the map includes an online form where users can report a damaged station, or the location of a new charger not yet included.

“With climate change posing major threats to our region, and with funding becoming more available to local governments for improving electric vehicle charging infrastructure, the Chatham County EV Charging Station Finder is just one step of many that Chatham County is taking to make sustainable alternatives accessible for our community,” said Brandon Dawson with the Chatham County Planning Department.

The EV Station Finder can be found on the Chatham County GIS Portal. Individuals with questions may contact Kevin Lindley, Chatham County Director of Environmental Quality, at (919) 545-7875 or kevin.lindley@chathamcountync.gov.

Mini Turbines Will Power The Future

For much more information on Tulip style wind turbines, visit this site and explore their menu tabs and hotlinks.  

Chatham County to Participate in Solarize the Triangle

Chatham County will join 10 communities as the Triangle Sustainability Partnership will publicly launch its regionwide community-based group-buying program on August 10, 2022. The public is invited to a free event at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Individuals will learn more about solar-energy options for local residents, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Solarize the Triangle is a unique campaign which allows residents and businesses to save on the cost of a system through combined purchasing with others in the Triangle plus the availability of a federal tax credit.

“Chatham County is proud to participate in the Solarize the Triangle Campaign,” said Chatham County Manager Dan LaMontagne. “By making it easier for our homeowners and businesses to go solar, the campaign supports our goal of promoting clean, renewable energy, making Chatham County one of the coolest places to live in North Carolina and in America.”

The launch celebration will feature:

• Representatives from the Partnership that developed and support Solarize the Triangle
• Experts in solar energy from the locally selected installer company chosen via competitive bidding
• Live music and painting by Little Red Birds. A portion of proceeds from the evening’s event art-auction sales will be dedicated to supporting solar energy for qualified low-income families
• Details about the benefits of solar energy and battery storage, and
• How one can enroll for a free solar-energy assessment of their residence or place of business through Solarize the Triangle.

Solarize the Triangle is a community-based group-purchasing program for solar energy, battery storage and other clean-energy technologies. The initiative is designed to serve residents, businesses, and nonprofits to become more resilient, reduce energy expenses, and save on the cost of renewable-energy systems by obtaining volume discounts on materials and installation services.

Solarize campaigns are driven by community group purchasing. Based on a tiered “bulk” purchasing concept, the more local residents and business owners who contract for their solar installations through the program, the more savings accrue to all participating property owners.

Joining Chatham County, other participating Triangle communities include: City of Durham, City of Raleigh, Durham County, Town of Cary, Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Hillsborough, Town of Carrboro, Town of Apex, Town of Morrisville, and Orange County. The Triangle J Council of Governments and Solar CrowdSource are facilitating the launch of Solarize the Triangle with Triangle local governments.

In addition to participating in Solarize the Triangle, Chatham County has received a designation as a SolSmart Gold community. The SolSmart program recognizes local governments that are friendly to solar development and have made focused efforts to simplify the process of installing solar panels. The Gold level designation is the highest the program offers. Both participating in the Solarize the Triangle program and achieving the SolSmart Gold designation contribute to Chatham County’s Comprehensive Plan goal of becoming a carbon neutral county by reducing the amount of energy generated using fossil fuels.

Following the community celebration on August 10th, Solarize the Triangle organizers will schedule and offer a series of clean-energy education and outreach events with a goal of increasing participation through a better understanding of rooftop solar components, suitability assessment considerations, and contract provisions.

All solar and battery installations are expected to be completed by November 30, 2023.

Solarize the Triangle is already accepting advance registrations for the upcoming campaign. Interested residents may go to solarizethetriangle.com to learn more about the program and sign up in advance of the launch to be first in line for a free evaluation.

Triangle Expands Electric Vehicle Corridor

From the Newsletter of the Triangle J Council of Governments

n May of 2022, TJCOG/TCC staff submitted a nomination to the Federal Highway Administration for their sixth round of priority electric vehicle corridor designations, asking for the inclusion of US-70 from Hillsborough to Smithfield. Staff received several letters of support from our member governments along US-70. On July 7th, FHWA approved the nomination making US-70 the newest EV corridor in our region. While I-40 and I-85 were designated as EV corridors in previous rounds, there was a substantial gap present between Durham and Raleigh. US-70's designation fills this gap, gives more of our member governments access to a priority corridor, and connects our region in a way that makes it much more desirable for electric vehicle drivers.

The designation now gives the area along US-70 prioritization for funding under the upcoming National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program. North Carolina expects to receive up to $109 million to build out EV infrastructure along its approved corridors. More information on the NEVI Program can be found here.

In addition to funding opportunities for new infrastructure, this designation will encourage EV drivers to stop along the corridor to charge their vehicles. This creates economic development opportunities for the communities along the corridor. It is expected that NCDOT will add signage to all NC EV corridors in the coming years, letting drivers know which roadways are reliable corridors for those using electric vehicles.

Shared Solar Program w/Duke Energy Progress -- You Don't Need to Own Solar Panels to Benefit from Solar Power!

NC Shared Solar - Duke Energy

Amid Pandemic, U.S. Renewable Power Sources Have Topped Coal for 40 Days

Amid pandemic, U.S. renewable power sources have topped coal for 40 days

(Reuters) - Electricity generated by renewable sources like solar, wind and hydro has exceeded coal-fired power in the United States for a record 40 straight days, according to a report based on U.S. government data released on Monday.

State And Local Leaders Set Climate Goals, But Can We Meet Them?

State And Local Leaders Set Climate Goals, But Can We Meet Them?

With the federal government's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, state and local governments in North Carolina have set their own ambitious goals for addressing climate change. Now, they're puzzling over how to carry out the big changes needed to reach those goals - such as switching to electric vehicles and shifting to more renewable energy.

Duke's Energy Policy: The Plan, Criticism, and Future of Energy in North Carolina

WRAL-TV ON THE RECORD, January 25, 2020 / Focused on an issue that affects every single North Carolinian, energy. How we get it, how we pay for it and how reliable it will be in the future. Duke Energy recently announced a new climate strategy. Among our guests are Vice President of Duke's Energy Policy, Diane Denton, to discuss the plan, the criticism and the future of energy in North Carolina. Followed by Southern Environmental Law Center attorney Gudrun Thompson and Dr. Drew Shindell (Climate Scientist, Duke University) who reinforce the stance that Duke Energy needs to stop building fracked ("natural") gas power plants and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Dr. Shindell makes the case that solar paired with battery storage is environmentally and economically better than gas.

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Careful Measurement of Environmental Trends and Progress Provides a Foundation for Effective Policymaking

Welcome

Careful measurement of environmental trends and progress provides a foundation for effective policymaking. The 2018 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 180 countries on 24 performance indicators across ten issue categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality. These metrics provide a gauge at a national scale of how close countries are to established environmental policy goals.

Orange County (NC) Ramping Up Climate Change Actions

Column: Orange County ramping up climate change actions

On June 6, 2017, the Board of Orange County Commissioners passed a resolution to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 26 and 28 percent by 2025 as compared to 2005 levels. On Sept. 5, 2017, the board adopted a resolution to transition to a 100 percent renewable energy-based economy by 2050.

Building People Power for Energy & Climate Justice

Home | NC WARN

It is already devastating millions of people, especially low-wealth communities who are least responsible for causing it. NC WARN tackles this crisis by vigorously pressing Duke Energy to join - or at least stop impeding - the clean energy revolution. Because North Carolina deserves better than pollution and cronyism.

A Growing Campaign of Huge investment Portfolios Divesting From Fossil Fuels

National Trust to divest £1bn portfolio from fossil fuels

The National Trust is divesting its £1bn portfolio from fossil fuels in an attempt to help tackle the escalating climate crisis. The organisation, which looks after 780 miles (1,250km) of coastline, 248,000 hectares (612,000 acres) of land and more than 500 historic houses, castles, monuments and parks, said it would withdraw the vast majority of its investments from fossil fuels within 12 months, and the entirety within three years.

What You Need to Know About Organic Broadleaf Weed Control

What You Need to Know About Organic Broadleaf Weed Control

If you want a chemical-free landscape and also want to defeat lawn weeds, the best defense is prevention. But weed prevention can take some time and, on occasion, you may need herbicides. Organic herbicides are a viable option for weed removal today, with more than 30 on the U.S. market.

Southeast.Climate Adaptation Resource Center at NCSU

The Department of the Interior Southeast Climate Science Center (SE CSC) has recently been renamed the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC). SE CASC is part of a federal network of eight Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) managed by the U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC), formerly the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC). 

The mission of NCASC and regional CASCs is to work with natural and cultural resource managers to gather the scientific information and build the tools needed to help fish, wildlife, and ecosystems adapt to the impacts of changing climate and land use. The CASCs and NCASC focus on the delivery of science, data, and decision-support tools that are practical and relevant to resource management.

North Carolina State University acts as the host institution for the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, providing organizational leadership to implement the CASC mission through capacity building, project management, communications, partnership development, and connections with scientific capabilities in the region. The mission is implemented through collaborative partnerships among USGS, natural resource management organizations, and academic institutions.

NC State is the lead university for a consortium of academic institutions across the Southeast, bringing together a breadth of expertise and capacity in natural, physical, and social sciences and management of natural and cultural resources.

See their GLOBAL CHANGE FORUM for their latest Climate Newsletter.

Duke Energy's Puny Investments in Renewable Energy

Public Energy Enemy No. 1 -- News Release from NC WARN and EWG | NC WARN

Duke Energy is the largest investor-owned electric utility in the U.S. But a new report by Environmental Working Group reveals another distinction: Its puny investments in renewable energy, schemes to penalize customers who want to go solar, and environmental record make Duke public energy enemy No. 1.

12 Years Left to Survive the Severe Threats of Climate Change. Here's How to Win

Climate Change: How to Win - North Carolina Climate Solutions Coalition

February 25, 2019 Posted By Joel Segal According to the recent IPCC Report, we have about 12 years to survive civilization-threatening climate change. In short, in order to avoid the earth's temperature rising above 1.5 degrees centigrade, we must rapidly transition to 100% clean renewable energy in all energy sectors as fast as we can.

Over 100 People Packed the February 04, 2019 NC Utilities Commission to Speak Strongly Against Duke's Dirty-Energy Plans

A Message from NC WARN

50 Speakers and Prominent Officials Urged Utilities Commission Monday to Reject Duke's 15-Year Plan for More Climate Destruction.  Please Add Your Voice!

Over 100 people packed the Utilities Commission public hearing Monday night on the 15-year plan by Duke Energy to greatly expand its use of climate-wrecking fracked gas and become only 8 percent renewable.

Thank you to the 50 eloquent speakers who testified about the disastrous climate, economic and health impacts of Duke's plan.        

Send a short email on Duke's plan: statements@ncuc.net

 

Tell the Commissioners to reject Duke's 15-year plan and force Duke Energy to stop blocking consideration of NC WARN's Clean Path 2025 strategy

Orange County Commissioner Mark Marcoplos read to the regulators a letter from 40 local government officials, calling for a rejection of Duke's 15-year Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). Watch Mark's testimony. Read his letter and see the list of signers here. If your local government leaders signed the letter, thank them for standing up for climate protection at this critical time (contact info here.

Dale Evarts, former director of the Climate and International Group at the Environmental Protection Agency, testified about the harmful climate, health and agricultural impacts of methane (fracked gas), and urged the Commission to send Duke back to the drawing board. Read his testimony or watch the video.

The Commission provided only this one public hearing on Duke's IRP, and has failed to rule on NC WARN's motion for an evidentiary hearing at which we and other intervenors could provide expert testimony and cross-examine Duke officials under oath.

Duke Energy has fought against such a hearing and against consideration of our Clean Path 2025 strategy for quickly replacing all coal and "natural" gas. Urge the Utilities Commission to at least hold an evidentiary hearing that makes Duke Energy openly justify its climate-wrecking plans.

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