How North Carolina’s Attempts at Taking Climate Action Have Continued to Fail

Jane Marsh is a frequent contributor to 21st Century Tech Blog. This newest article describes how one U.S. state attempted to implement a carbon plan and failed.

North Carolina is one of 33 U.S. states that have released a carbon and climate action plan or are developing one. In some cases, states have found themselves having to revise plans after unrealistic expectations were met with disappointing outcomes.

California and Washington state have always taken the lead in developing carbon strategies. At the other end of the spectrum are states like North Carolina. The following describes the latter’s experience with carbon planning.

North Carolina released its latest Clean Energy Plan in 2019 outlining a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2025. The plan included decarbonizing the electric power sector, modernizing the grid, ensuring access to clean energy, and increasing energy efficiency. This was a second go-round for the state which previously published a plan in 2008. And now there is more as Jane will relate.

North Carolina was on track to take climate action after passing state climate legislation in 2021. This bill included a 70% emissions reduction target by 2030 and net zero by 2050. In late 2022, after North Carolina had suffered rolling blackouts caused by extreme cold with many residents left without power and heat, the utility commission issued yet another carbon plan. This one, however, is once more being critiqued by environmentalists and energy professionals as too vague and not focused enough on shifting away from fossil fuels.

What Is in North Carolina’s Failed Carbon Plan?

One of North Carolina’s challenges is that the state is beholden for much of its power to Duke Energy. So the Duke Energy Carbon Plan is the state’s plan, and Duke in three of its four portfolios is doing little for the state to achieve the emissions goals established for 2030. Duke is a big coal producer and reluctant to move away from it to renewable alternatives in delivering energy to the state. And the company’s plans for new natural gas plants rather than renewable projects is raising concerns about emissions from these future facilities.

The Need for Bold Climate Action

North Carolina has been as reluctant to be bold with climate as it has with sea level rise. It has dragged its feet about transitioning to renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The current plan makes recommendations but is not nearly aggressive enough in the opinion of environmentalists and those calling for more concerted climate action. What’s needed to make up for the current policy deficiencies within the state’s plan?

1. Investing in Energy Efficiency – Retrofitting legacy buildings and investing in energy efficiency for new construction needs to be addressed. For example, the state should be creating actions to update building technologies and appliances for improved environmental and human health. Companies in the state continue to use 3,000 products containing asbestos, a known cause of mesothelioma, a dangerous disease. North Carolina should take a look at what countries like Australia are doing. Until the recent change in the government Down Under, the country was struggling to meet its emission targets. With a new government, the country is now making strides in increasing overall energy efficiency and setting annual milestones. This is something North Carolina can emulate.
2. Continuing to Drive Solar Adoption – North Carolina is making the transition to solar energy, but not with haste. The state averages 213 sunny days a year and according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), currently ranks fourth in the country with 9% of its electricity derived from solar powering just under one million homes. The state needs to continue putting its pedal to the metal while safeguarding consumers from malpractice in the industry with utilities discouraging customers from going solar and spreading misinformation throughout the media.
3. Spearheading Offshore Wind – The original North Carolina Carbon Plan included six of eight offshore wind initiatives which now are up in the air until at least 2030. Nevertheless, offshore wind investments are crucial for the state to achieve its carbon emission reductions. The Outer Banks of the state have long been known for how hard the wind can blow. That’s one of the reasons the Wright brothers chose Kitty Hawk as the location for the first powered airplane flight. That’s why the state should act on implementing offshore wind projects with the benefit of creating lucrative employment opportunities for state residents.
4. Avoiding Nuclear – The current carbon plan for the state includes adding 570 megawatts of nuclear power which is seen by some as being a risky endeavour. The state already operates four nuclear power plants. The plants produce radioactive waste which can endure for thousands of years, posing a danger to humans and the environment. The state has no permanent facility for storing this waste. That’s why environmentalists oppose adding more nuclear power and seeking renewable alternatives.

North Carolina Can Make a Positive Change for the Environment

Achieving net zero emissions remains challenging for the state under its latest Carbon Plan. And laggards like Duke Energy which dominates the energy sector in the state continue to drag their feet when addressing carbon emission reductions. That’s why the initiatives to accelerate to a low-carbon future needs to be driven by state, county and city governments. And North Carolina citizens need to adopt actions such as installing rooftop solar and battery packs, technologies that can minimize their use of legacy polluting energy sources which in a state with lots of sun should not be unfeasible.