Solar Energy

The Catawba Riverkeeper organization is one of the 10 largest of its kind in the country, but the person responsible for that growth — Executive Director John Searby — is stepping down. As he prepares to leave, we look at his contributions to the organization, its work in keeping the Catawba healthy, and the future challenges to that health. Also, as solar tax credits near expiration, what can you do before time runs out?

Solar energy can reduce utility bills, cut carbon pollution and decrease a business's reliance on grid power. A new solar panel purchase program in Mecklenburg County aims to help businesses and nonprofits hit the moving target of federal tax credits.

Climate change and its cause — the burning of fossil fuels — are problems that surround us as much as, well, the air we breathe. A new book by the father of popular climate writing, Bill McKibben, offers a simple solution: harness the power of the sun.

Environmental groups are asking the North Carolina Court of Appeals to overturn Duke Energy's new rates and rules for residential rooftop solar panels that took effect Oct. 1.

Rooftop solar installers are asking state regulators to delay new rules and the implementation of lower payments for non-residential customers. They say Duke Energy hasn't provided adequate public notice of the changes that start next week.

The city of Charlotte is evaluating a developer's proposal to build one or two more solar farms to power city facilities. It's part of the city's drive to power all its buildings with carbon-free energy.

A South Carolina tech company that connects homeowners with rooftop solar installers says it's moving its headquarters to Charlotte's South End. Palmetto is currently based in Charleston, South Carolina.

North Carolina regulators have approved Duke Energy Progress’s plan to reduce what commercial rooftop solar customers get paid for electricity they send to the grid. Solar advocates say the change caught them by surprise and could make solar less attractive, especially for smaller customers.

Solar electricity generation outpaced coal generation in North Carolina in the first three months of 2023, for the third time in the past couple of years. It's another sign of how North Carolina is evolving toward cleaner forms of energy.

The city of Charlotte has a goal of switching to 100% renewable energy in city vehicles and facilities by 2030. Getting there is a project-by-project task. On Monday, the City Council approved two more projects that will help the city reduce its use of electricity generated by fossil fuels. Both passed without discussion.