Solar boom begins in North Carolina!
I’m proud to report that solar photovoltaic (PV) power is about to come to my home state of NC in a major way. By the end of the year, PV capacity will more than quadruple. And by 2021, it will be more than 500 times its current capacity.
As we’ve mentioned before, solar is a small contributor today throughout the country and most of the world. In NC, capacity stands at less than a megawatt (MW) from scores of small systems at households around the state. But the recently passed Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard mandates 300 MW by 2021. And they are on their way toward to achieving their goal after announcing a contract to construct the biggest PV solar farm in the country, at 16 MW. It won’t be the biggest PV installation for long, as California plans a 550 MW farm within a few years. But it certainly is a great start, and can hopefully bolster the case against building more coal power plants in our growing state. Here’s to solar growth in North Carolina and other states all over the US and beyond!