Blue Ridge Energy’s solar policies among the worst in Southeast

A new interactive website launched this week by the Southern Environmental Law Center highlights Blue Ridge Energy electric cooperative as having one of the worst solar energy policies of all electric utilities throughout the Southeast. The website, “Rates of Solar,” lists Blue Ridge among its solar “brakers” because of its high monthly fee for owner-members…

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Report finds thousands in western N.C. and eastern Tenn. need energy efficiency financing

Marshall, N.C. on the French Broad River. Photo by Jamie Goodman

CONTACT: Rory McIlmoil, Appalachian Voices Energy Savings Program Manager, rory@appvoices.org, (828) 262-1500 Boone, N.C. — A program that pays for the upfront cost of home energy improvements could lower monthly bills for thousands of families in western North Carolina while creating jobs, strengthening local economies, and protecting natural resources and public health, according to Appalachian…

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Keeping energy through the generations

“We do everything we can to keep energy,” Barbara Taylor says as she heads down the stairs to the basement of the home she has shared with her husband, Paul, in New Tazewell, Tennessee since 1980. Outside it’s a humid 78 degrees, but in the narrow basement room that houses the Taylors’ heat pump it’s cool and dry.

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Reports show need for energy efficiency financing in western NC

Contacts: Rory McIlmoil, Appalachian Voices, 828-262-1500, rory@appvoices.org Amber Moodie-Dyer, Appalachian Voices, 828-262-1500, amber@appvoices.org Daniel Kauffman, ResiSpeak, 919-812-5657, dk@resispeak.com BOONE, N.C. — Two reports released today by Appalachian Voices show how effective home energy efficiency improvements can be for saving families money and the tremendous customer demand in western North Carolina for accessible, upfront financing to…

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