Energy

Conference Explores North Carolina’s Energy Future

Isaac-Davy Aronson and Frank Stasio — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:24:12 +0000

North Carolina companies are in the midst of a sustainable energy boom. Solar farms have bloomed, wind farms could be on their way, and local entrepreneurs are experimenting with biofuels and solar power. But cheap natural gas and new legislation could slow sustainable energy growth.

Experts are discussing these advancements at the North Carolina Department of Commerce's 10th Annual Sustainable Energy Conference in Raleigh today. Keynote speaker Marilyn Brown is a professor from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She said today on The State of Things that many people are looking to fracking for natural gas to solve our energy needs.

Group Says 'Cogeneration' Could Save Energy

Gurnal Scott — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:50:29 +0000

Energy watchdog group NC WARN is asking state utilities commissioners to look at an alternative way for companies to generate electrical power. NC WARN sent a report to commissioners outlining a process called "cogeneration” that allows businesses to use an on-site turbine to generate electricity and capture escaping heat. The group's report says doing that can drop the rate of wasted energy from 55 percent to as low as 20 percent.

Prospecting For Wind And Sun On The OBX

Will Michaels — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:59:59 +0000

Dominion North Carolina Power plans to study the prospect of wind and solar energy on the Outer Banks for small-scale power grids. The utility is launching a three-year research project at its office in Kitty Hawk. The plans include four wind turbines, solar panels and a storage battery that will work to reduce the amount of power the office pulls from the grid. Project manager Sarah Cosby says that network creates a so-called micro-grid that could be useful for small communities during power outages.

Lee County Residents Ponder Fracking

Jessica Jones — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Lee County is one of a handful of central North Carolina areas known to have natural gas reserves. Ever since state legislators passed a law to allow the horizontal drilling method of extracting natural gas known as fracking, county residents have been wondering when and if they’ll see gas wells sprouting up in their backyards. People in the community are divided over what fracking could mean for them.

Accelerating Electric Cars Into More Cities

Asma Khalid — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:05:00 +0000

Transportation officials from eight states are meeting in Raleigh today to brainstorm how to accelerate the use of electric cars.

Asma Khalid: If you drive around Raleigh-Durham, you've probably noticed a few electric car charging stations. But, that's not typical for most states. Since January 2011, approximately 30,000 electric vehicles have been sold in the entire country. So, clearly the Triangle is ahead of the curve. Judi Greenwald is with the center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Her group is cosponsoring the Raleigh meetings.

RTI Awarded Energy Grant

Leoneda Inge — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 11:00:00 +0000

RTI International has been awarded 4-point8-million dollars to develop technology to help reduce the energy needed to power manufacturing facilities.

Leoneda Inge: RTI International will partner with Duke University and Veolia Water Solutions in Cary to develop a system that will allow heat from industrial processes to treat waste-water. David Danielson is Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for the US Department of Energy. He says his office is funding 13 projects in this first round.

Raleigh Seeks Alternative Energy Source

Dave DeWitt — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Raleigh is hoping to build another sustainable energy facility. This one would be a hydroelectric plant at the Falls Lake Dam.

Dave DeWitt: Raleigh already generates power by harnessing methane gas at its landfill. Now, city officials are hoping to turn the Falls Lake Dam into a power plant. It would be small, generating electricity for just a few hundred homes. But it could also be profitable.

Duke Hosting US-Canada Energy Conference

WUNC News — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:45:00 +0000

The U.S. is more energy dependent on Canada than you might think. That's why Duke officials say they've planned a conference tomorrow on the U.S.-Canada energy relationship. Stephen Kelly is the associate director of Duke's Center for Canadian Studies. He says most people don't realize how big a role Canada plays in our energy supply.

Raleigh Hosting Energy Crisis Workshop

Jeremy Loeb — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:35:00 +0000

Emergency officials are meeting today in Raleigh to plan for a possible energy disaster. The two-day event is being sponsored by the Department of Energy and includes representatives from 12 states across the southeast as well as Puerto Rico and The Virgin Islands. James Mercer of the Raleigh Emergency Management Office is coordinating the event.