CHARLOTTE – For people who want to use electricity from sustainable sources such as solar, Duke Energy is rolling out a new program for that purpose. And at the same time the utility giant will help you underwrite solar power for schools.
The “Renewable Advantage” program allows customers to purchase renewable energy certificates (RECs) which in turn are used to secure electricty “blocks” based on renewable sources. Participation starts at $3 per month. The money is used to purchase electricity in 250 kilowatt-hour blocks. (Duke notes that the average customer uses some 1,000 kilowatt hours per month.)
The program comes in response to requests from the utility’s customers and is similar to a program launched to help companies go “green” for energy, Duke says.
“REC prices can change. But we do not see making any money on this in the first five years,” says Duke Energy spokesperson Randy Wheeless. “It was designed to reflect what customers were asking for – not as a money maker.”
Current REC prices are $12 total per block.
Esimates for the program say the RECs will be based on 95% solar and 5% biomass sourcing with some 25% coming from NC sources.
Duke also will make donations of 50 cents per block to the NC GreenPower organization’s “Solar+ Schools program,” an initiative that provides solar power and educational materials to schools.
Consumers can buy as many blocks as they want, Wheeless says. There are no fees for the program other than the cost of the electricity blocks, he adds.
To participate in the program, visit this website.
“More than half of Duke Energy’s generation in the Carolinas is carbon-free. But we know many customers want more,” adds Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president, in the announcement. “Renewable Advantage gives them an easy option to customize their own energy mix.”
Duke Energy currently includes some 5% of electricty sourced from solar, Wheeless points out.
North Carolina is second only to California in solar power generation.
Google and Cisco are among the companies that have utilized Duke’s corporate program aiming to help firms meet sustainability goals. According to Duke, a UPM Raflatac manufacturing factory in Henderson County is “the first manufacturing facility in North Carolina to match its entire energy usage with renewable energy.”
