Eco-Justice Connection

An initiative of the North Carolina Council of Churches

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Support Solar in NC!

By chris

Tell the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) you support net metering and solar power! Like rollover minutes on a cell phone bill, net metering gives renewable energy customers full credit on their utility bills for the excess clean power they deliver to the grid. This simple credit system is one of the most important state policies for empowering Americans to generate their own power from the sun.

Support Solar in NC!

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Solar Trio Pics

Congregations across North Carolina are installing solar systems and NC Interfaith Power & Light is committed to helping forge this precedent-setting path forward.

Seeing solar panels on a house of worship becomes an iconic marker to the broader community, a demonstration of the congregation’s love of the Creator and creation, and it shows a commitment to change our relationship to energy. It becomes a moral statement, a rejection of our use of fossil fuels and the implications of damages that such use brings to all in our shared earth community, expressing a clear commitment that the broader human community cannot ignore.

It’s righteous, it’s working, and now it’s at risk.

Utilities nationwide are casting a long shadow over communities of faith that are going solar with net metering. For over a century, these monopoly interests have made money from building big, expensive power plants and transmission – and having their customers harness free sunshine and other homegrown resources is a threat to that business model.

Power companies should not be standing in the way of Creation Care practices to protect their old way of doing business.

Share your voice and send a message to NC’s Utilities Commission online.

 

NetmeteringLike rollover minutes on a cell phone bill, net metering gives renewable energy customers full credit on their utility bills for the excess clean power they deliver to the grid. This simple credit system is one of the most important state policies for empowering communities of faith to generate their own power from the sun.

Net metering content Source: http://www.oursolarrights.org/ 

 Click here for more information and resources about solar financing options for congregations.

 

NC Utilities Commission Challenges Duke Energy

By chris

May 6, 2013, Charlotte, NC — The North Carolina Utilities Commission issued an order on Friday challenging Duke Energy to back up its Integrated Resource Plan – its long-term business plan – with more facts. The order questioned whether Duke is overestimating the amount of electricity it must generate and whether it is adequately pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy that would negate the need for Duke to continue raising rates on families and small businesses in North Carolina.

NC Utilities Commission Challenges Duke Energy

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May 6, 2013, Charlotte, NC — The North Carolina Utilities Commission issued an order on Friday challenging Duke Energy to back up its Integrated Resource Plan – its long-term business plan – with more facts. The order questioned whether Duke is overestimating the amount of electricity it must generate and whether it is adequately pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy that would negate the need for Duke to continue raising rates on families and small businesses in North Carolina. The order can be found here: http://ncuc.commerce.state.nc.us/cgi-bin/webview/senddoc.pgm?itype=Q&parm2=QAAAAA32131B&parm3=000139578

Greenpeace, NC WARN and NC Interfaith Power and Light offered the following statement in response: 

“Greenpeace, NC WARN and NC Interfaith Power and Light thank the North Carolina Utilities Commission for challenging Duke Energy to provide an explanation for why the company is not pursuing energy efficiency and renewable energy that would result in lower rates for North Carolina’s families and small businesses.

“Ratepayers have showed up to hearings in Raleigh and Charlotte by the hundreds to ask these very questions, and today’s order shows that the Utilities Commissioners are listening.

“The Utilities Commission has also challenged Duke Energy for answers about its high electricity demand estimates, the public health impacts of its coal ash and air pollution, and the climate impacts of its continued reliance on fossil fuels.

“Many of Duke’s shareholders questioned CEO Jim Rogers at the company’s annual general meeting last week about why Duke hasn’t moved more aggressively to replace its coal and nuclear plants with wind and solar energy, instead of gas. Rogers acknowledged the need to invest more in renewable energy and efficiency, but did not offer a clear explanation for why Duke has been so slow to do so. Today’s order from the Utilities Commission offers Rogers yet another opportunity to explain Duke’s stubborn refusal to embrace cleaner, cheaper, modern forms of energy and efficiency.”