On May 11, the North Carolina Supreme Court handed down a single-word decision — “Affirmed” — ending a two-year legal battle over control of solar panel installation in the state.
The suit involved solar panels that NC WARN, an environmental advocacy group, installed on the roof of Faith Community Church, a predominantly African-American church in Greensboro, in 2015. The organization paid $20,000 to install the panels and then sold the church electricity at the rate of five cents per kilowatt-hour. According to InsideClimate News, this rate is well below the 11 cents per kilowatt-hour that utility giant Duke Energy charges its customers.
The method that NC WARN used to finance the project, known as a third-party power purchase agreement, is banned in North Carolina and laid the groundwork for Duke Energy’s legal challenge. The state’s utilities commission ruled against NC WARN’s right to act as a utility by selling electricity to customers. After an appeal, the N.C. Supreme Court upheld this ruling.
“It’s very unfortunate that Duke Energy remains able to protect its monopoly against clean competition and to keep stifling the growth of cheaper solar power across North Carolina,” Jim Warren, executive director of NC WARN, told InsideClimate News. — By Elizabeth E. Payne
Related Articles
Latest News
More Stories
Ridgeline Pipeline Construction Impacts in Rural East Tennessee
Neighbors share concerns about noise, unpredictable construction schedules and other disruptions due to methane gas pipeline construction in East Tennessee.
Neighbors Help Neighbors
A photo essay that celebrates the volunteer spirit of the grassroots group Hurricane Helene WNC and speaks to the resourcefulness, collaboration and hard work embodied by thousands and thousands of volunteers, first responders and aid workers across the region after Hurricane Helene.
Halloween Approaches, and Night School Is in Session
The House of Art in Bluefield, West Virginia, looks like a haunted tower, making it the perfect location for its sixth annual haunt event: Night School. The Night School will be open every Friday and Saturday night through Oct. 31.
‘The Most Perfect Act of Love’
Hundreds of people attended the second annual Affirming Sumner Pride celebration on a 24-acre farm dubbed “Fruity Farm” in Bethpage, Sumner County, Tennessee.
Signs of Life: Endangered Bats Found in Nantahala for First Time in More Than a Decade
In the Nantahala National Forest, a team of biologists spotted Indiana bats, an endangered species that hasn’t been seen in North Carolina for the last 11 years.
‘First Line of Defense’
During Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, rural fire departments and other first responder hubs played critical roles in keeping their communities safe, even without power and cut off from outside support for days or weeks after the storm. Two years later, plenty of work remains to ensure these hubs have the resources they need to operate day to day and be ready when emergencies or natural disasters strike.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Leave a Comment