CHARLOTTE – Duke Energy says it expanded sustainable energy capacity by 20 percent in 2017, part of a goal to generate enough power from such sources to service more than 1 million homes by 2020.

“One fact will certainly jump out: In 2017, the company’s renewable energy capacity grew by about 20 percent,” writes Cari Boyce, vice president of Stakeholder Strategy and Sustainability for Duke Energy. “This is pretty remarkable for one year.”

The 52-page report is being published Monday.

In a blog published by WRAL.com’s Opinion section today, Boyce explaines Duke’s commitment and strategy.

“As part of our mission to create a cleaner energy mix, we set a sustainability goal to own and purchase 8,000 megawatts (MW) of wind, solar and biomass capacity by 2020,” she notes. “That equals the capacity of four or five major power plants and could easily satisfy the annual energy needs of more than 1 million homes when operating at peak output.”

Duke Energy continues to expand its solar energy footprint across North Carolina. helping make the state the No. 2 provider of such power, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Boyce notes that overall the company “added 1,000 MW of renewable energy capacity across the country, and almost 80 percent of that is staying right here in North Carolina.”

The energy giant also boosts its power capacity with nuclear plants and hydroelectric. sources.

“Combining nuclear, renewables and hydroelectric power, about 40 percent of our current generation mix emits absolutely no greenhouse emissions.,” she adds.

Duke Energy says it provides 52,700 megawatts of electric generating capacity overall across the Carolinas, parts of the the Midwest and Florida. Its natural gas network has more than 1.5 million customers in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

Read the full report online.