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State Planning and Incentive Structures | Energy Efficiency Actions | Energy Supply Actions

State Planning and Incentive Structures

Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency in Public Facilities

Status: Completed

Details: Senate Bill 668, signed in August 2007, requires state-owned buildings to be designed, constructed and certified to exceed the energy efficiency requirements of ASHRAE 90.1-2004 by 30% for new buildings, and 20% for major renovations. The energy consumption per gross square foot for all State buildings in total must also be reduced by 20% by 2010, and 30% by 2015 based on consumption during the 2003-2004 fiscal year.
The North Carolina Energy Plan (June 2003) contains a chapter on Energy Use in the Public Sector that includes a number of recommended policies and programs, including goals for reducing energy use in existing state buildings 20% by 2008 (a reduction of 4% per year for the next 5 years).

Lead By Example—Energy Efficient Appliance and Equipment Purchase Requirements for Public Facilities

Status: Completed

Details: Executive Order 156 (July 1999) requires that all electronic office equipment purchased by state agencies be ENERGY STAR qualified and directs state agencies to give consideration to environmentally preferable products.

Lead By Example—Clean Energy Goals for Public Facilities

Status: Proposed

Details: The North Carolina Energy Plan (June 2003) contains a chapter on Energy Use in the Public Sector that includes a number of recommended policies and programs, including goals for establishing minimum percentage requirements for renewable energy use.

Lead By Example—Energy Efficiency and Alternative Fuel Goals for Public Fleets

Status: Completed

Details: State law (session law 2005-276, section 19.5) requires that all state agencies, universities, and community colleges that have state-owned vehicle fleets develop and implement plans to increase the use of alternative fuels, synthetic lubricants, and efficient vehicles. The plans will achieve a 20% reduction or displacement of the current petroleum products consumed by January 1, 2010. Agencies were required to implement their plans by January 1, 2006. State law (general statutes 143-215.107k) also required that beginning January 1, 2004, at least 75% of new light-duty vehicles purchased for the state fleet be alternative fuel vehicles or low emission vehicles.

State and Regional Energy Planning

Status: Completed/Further Work In Progress

Details: The Energy Policy Council (EPC), with assistance from the NC Energy Office and Appalachian State University, have worked since fall 2007 to update the state energy plan for release in 2008.
The State Energy Plan was written in 2001, following a review by the EPC's Energy Policy Working Group, and has been revised in 2003 and 2005. The 2001 plan had 93 recommendations including: NC should encourage economic development of energy-related enterprises which increase energy efficiency or use renewable resources; NC should support the development of an alternative fuel industry through dedicated funding and grant matching; The General Assembly should consider adopting net metering for application to all electric utilities in the state; and state agencies and universities should reduce energy consumption in existing buildings to save 20% by 2008, 4% per year or more for the next 5 years.
NC's General Assembly established the EPC in 1975.

Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (NOX Budget Trading Program)

Status: No Activity Identified

Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy—Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Set Asides (CAIR Budget Trading Program)

Status: No Activity Identified

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Energy Efficiency Actions

Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards

Status: Completed

Details: The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) on February 29, 2008, issued final rules formally implementing legislation passed in August 2007 that created North Carolina’s renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standard (REEPS). Under the REEPS enacted in Senate Bill 3, all electric power suppliers in North Carolina must meet an increasing amount of their customers’ energy needs via a combination of renewable energy resources and reduced energy consumption through the implementation of new energy efficiency measures. Beginning in 2012 at 3% of retail electricity sales, the REEPS requirement climbs to 6% in 2015, 10% in 2018 and 12.5% in 2021. Under the 250-page rulemaking document, electric utilities must submit their first annual REEPS compliance plan by September 1, 2008.
On August 20, 2007, Governor Mike Easley signed Senate Bill 3, which implements a renewable energy and efficiency portfolio standard for North Carolina. Under this new law, investor-owned utilities in North Carolina will be required to meet up to 12.5% of their energy needs through renewable energy resources or energy efficiency measures. Rural electric cooperatives and municipal electric suppliers are subject to a 10% REPS requirement. Utilities may meet up to 25% of their REPS requirements through savings due to the implementation of energy efficiency measures.

Public Benefit Funds for Energy Efficiency

Status: No Activity Identified

Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Commercial Programs

Status: Goes Beyond ECPA

Details: In September 2005, the Building Code Council adopted, with amendments, the 2006 NC Codes for commercial buildings. The codes are based on the 2003 IECC codes and reference the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 code. The 2004 Supplement to the I-Codes is referenced in various Sections of the 2006 NC Amendments. Mandatory statewide; can use COMcheck to show compliance.

Building Codes for Energy Efficiency—Residential Programs

Status: Goes Beyond ECPA

Details: Adopted the 2003 IECC with NC amendments effective June 1, 2007. The amendments include adoption of ASHRAE 90.1-2004. Ch. 11 of the 2003 IRC has also been adopted and includes NC amendments.

State Appliance Efficiency Standards

Status: No Activity Identified

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Energy Supply Actions

Renewable Portfolio Standards

Status: Completed

Details: The North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) on February 29, 2008, issued final rules formally implementing legislation passed in August 2007 (Senate Bill 3) that created North Carolina’s renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standard (REEPS). The standard requires investor-owned utilities to supply 3% of retail sales through renewable energy sources by 2012. The percentage climbs to 6% in 2015, 10% in 2018 and 12.5% in 2021. Rural electric cooperatives and municipal electric suppliers are subject to a 10% REPS requirement. Utilities may meet up to 25% of their REPS requirements through savings due to the implementation of energy efficiency measures. Under the 250-page rulemaking document, electric utilities must submit their first annual REEPS compliance plan by September 1, 2008.

Public Benefit Funds for Clean Energy Supply

Status: No Activity Identified

Output-Based Environmental Regulations

Status: No Activity Identified

Interconnection Standards—Clean Distributed Generation

Status: Completed

Details: In 2008, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) adopted comprehensive interconnection standards for DG with Docket No. E-100, Sub 101. These standards apply only to the state's three investor-owned utilities and were required by SB 3, enacted August 20, 2007. The new standards apply to all state jurisdictional interconnections regardless of the system size, voltage, or whether the owner intends to sell electricity back to the utility. Systems up to 10 kW can follow a simplified procedure and there is a fast-track procedure for systems larger than 10 kW and up to 2 MW. The NCUC adopted simplified interconnection standards for small distributed generation in 2005 - NCUC Order, Docket No. E-100 Sub 101. The standards apply for renewable energy systems and other types of DG up to 20 kW in capacity for residential units and 100 kW in capacity for non-residential. Application fees are either $100 or $250. Residential customers don't have to have liability insurance beyond what is required by a standard homeowner's policy ($100,000 minimum coverage). Non-residential systems must have at least $300,000 in liability insurance. A redundant external disconnect is required.

Interconnection Standards—Net Metering

Status: Completed

Details: On June 9, 2008, the NCUC issued an order which establishes a procedural schedule for possible changes to the net metering tariffs of the state’s investor-owned utilities (Docket E-100, Sub 83.) The NCUC will consider whether or not to raise the allowable net metering capacity for individual generators to 1 MW, from the current limit of 20 kW for residential and 100 kW for non-residential systems. The NCUC will also decide whether or not to increase, or eliminate, each utility’s allowable aggregated amount of net metering, which is currently set at 0.2% of each utility’s prior year peak load.
On July 6, 2006 the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued the final version of Docket E-100, Sub-83, which included provisions: to extend net metering to battery systems, to require net metered customers to apply on a first come-first served basis up to 0.2% of the previous year's peak demand, and to require net metered customers to switch to a time-of-use tariff. The NCUC adopted on October 20, 2005, rules requiring the state's three investor-owned utilities to make net metering available to utility customers that own and operate photovoltaics, wind, or biomass facilities. Systems must be interconnected and operated in parallel with the utility's distribution system, and may not use battery storage. The rule caps residential at 20MW and non-residential at 100kW.

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