Major businesses are calling on the North Carolina General Assembly to advance ambitious, comprehensive energy legislation to scale investments in clean energy, decarbonize the electricity grid, and drive economic growth as the state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Representatives from 10 businesses in North Carolina, including Biogen, Nestle, SAS, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Unilever, and VF Corporation, among others, are meeting virtually with lawmakers this week to discuss the need for North Carolina to adopt policies that will expand renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and set the state on a path toward a net zero emissions future.
In the midst of this advocacy event and call to action, North Carolina lawmakers unveiled major energy legislation on June 15, following months of closed-door negotiations. Among the many provisions included in the bill is a plan to replace the state’s underperforming coal plants with legislatively-determined resources, including at least 900 megawatts of new natural gas. The legislation does not include many of the provisions that businesses support as a way to help North Carolina decarbonize its electricity grid and cost-effectively transition to the clean energy economy.
“Sierra Nevada is proud to operate the largest solar array in craft beer and the first production brewery in the country to achieve Platinum LEED certification. Now, we urge the General Assembly to establish robust statewide policies that will clean North Carolina’s electricity grid and help businesses small and large access renewable energy," said Leah Cooper, sustainability manager for Sierra Nevada’s Mills River brewery. “Companies like ours are working for a more sustainable future for all North Carolinians, and we hope state leaders will partner with us in the effort."
“We hope that North Carolina continues to expand access to renewable energy and embraces a zero-carbon future,” said Matt Hamilton, corporate sustainability director, VF Corporation. “At VF Corporation, we believe investments in the clean energy economy are down payments on North Carolina’s future, supporting job growth and economic vitality.”
Many of the businesses meeting with lawmakers this week sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper and legislative leaders this spring to share their support for getting meaningful clean energy legislation signed into law this year. Burt’s Bees, DSM North America, Mars Incorporated, and McDonald’s Corporation were among the signatories of the letter.
Businesses also weighed in with the North Carolina Utilities Commission on Duke Energy’s Proposed 2020 Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines the utility’s investment plans for meeting future electric needs. In a letter sent to commissioners, the businesses emphasized their view that investing in new natural gas plants is not necessarily in the best interest of ratepayers when cleaner and cheaper technologies already exist to meet the state’s electricity needs. These two letters underscore that businesses in North Carolina want to see the state move towards a cleaner electricity grid.
“North Carolina businesses understand that investing in clean energy will generate significant economic, social and environmental benefits for the state,” said Alli Gold Roberts, director of state policy, Ceres. “North Carolina lawmakers should put forth a bill that matches the ambitions and the needs of the business community when it comes to the significant demand for a cleaner electricity grid. Lawmakers should consider more ambitious action that will set the state on a path toward a more resilient, equitable and affordable clean energy future for all.”
Ceres and its business partners have long advocated for energy policies to support an affordable, reliable, clean electricity grid in North Carolina, such as the bipartisan House Bill 589 to expand clean energy access for businesses in the state and the state’s first Clean Energy Plan. Aside from these minor clean energy wins, North Carolina has not made comprehensive reforms to its energy policy since the passage of its bipartisan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) law in 2007.
About Ceres
Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future.