Renewable Energy

Electric vehicles and renewable energy have gotten most of the attention as the city of Charlotte works to fight climate change. Other tactics aren't so visible — like cool roofs and porous pavement, known as smart surfaces.

Lawmakers in Raleigh are considering a bill that could make it easier to permit new nuclear plants and extend deadlines for Duke Energy to clean up coal ash dumps at its North Carolina plants.

A spokeswoman said fewer than 90 Duke employees will join ArcLight when the deal closes by year's end. Duke expects to net $259 million from the sale.

Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, says it has cut energy-related emissions on campus and is now carbon neutral, in part by claiming credits for investments in clean energy elsewhere.

Gov. Roy Cooper urged business leaders at a conference in Raleigh Wednesday to help resist legislative efforts to slow the state's clean energy efforts.

Three years ago, Duke Energy opened its newest natural gas-fired power plant in Asheville, on the site of an old coal-fired plant. Duke wants to build more gas plants around North Carolina as part of its plan to reduce the heat-trapping pollution that comes from electricity generation. But the idea has plenty of critics.

Duke Energy reported a $531 million loss for the fourth quarter as it wrote down the value of its commercial renewable energy business that's up for sale. The Charlotte-based company also announced plans to cut $300 million in expenses this year, including through layoffs mainly in Charlotte.

North Carolina will need more electric vehicles on the road, cleaner energy sources and a faster shift away from fossil fuels in all parts of the economy to meet its climate goals, according to a new report from Gov. Roy Cooper's office.

Duke Energy has asked North Carolina regulators to approve the expansion of a program that lets large customers contract for renewable energy. The Charlotte-based utility company also wants to offer renewable energy credits to customers who want to support the shift to clean energy to fight climate change.

Expanding solar energy and integrating the power grid more closely with surrounding states could help prevent blackouts like the ones across the Carolinas on Christmas Eve, according to a new study by environmental and renewable energy groups.