People interested in North Carolina's clean energy economy will now find much of what they're looking for in one source. The non-profit North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association has released a book that compiles various data, maps, and charts on North Carolina's green infrastructure.
Spokeswoman Julie Robinson says there isn't just one dominant source of clean energy.
Julie Robinson: "That's what's so great about North Carolina. We have it all here. Here in the Triangle, we've got a rapidly growing smart-grid industry getting national and international attention because we've got so many companies that are producing just great technology that's being developed right here."
Robinson also points to solar and wind as valuable sources of clean energy. She says that despite promising growth, the state needs to do a lot more to build up its clean energy infrastructure.
Robinson: "There's definitely so much more North Carolina could be doing. The REPS law that was passed in 2007 is a perfect example of one policy having such a wide, far-reaching, positive impact for our state, in terms of the number of jobs that can be created, business opportunities, new energy sources, home-grown energy sources that our state can develop."
The Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard requires North Carolina utilities to get 12.5% of their energy from renewable sources by 2012.