Duke Energy seeks wind power for Carolina customers

The company reported that this is part of building a smarter energy future and generating cleaner energy for its customers.

Results from the RFP could bring clean wind energy to the Carolinas and help DEC meet North Carolina's 2007 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) that mandates the company generate 12.5% of its retail sales in the state by renewable energy or energy efficiency programs by 2021, and continuing afterward.

“As costs in the wind sector decline and capacity factors increase, now is an excellent time to pursue wind energy for the Carolinas,” said Rob Caldwell, President, Duke Energy Renewables and Distributed Energy Technology. “Our experience in wind energy spans more than a decade, so we are excited to evaluate this resource for the benefit of our customers.”

Wind energy will add to the company’s renewable energy portfolio as it already has an extensive solar energy portfolio in the Carolinas. The wind energy will provide energy during times that solar is not typically available, and it will further diversify the company’s fuel mix.

The RFP is open to existing or new wind generation facilities – from 100 to 500 MW of delivered capacity – that can be transported into DEC’s transmission system by the end of 2022. Although Duke Energy owns and operates more than 35 solar facilities in the Carolinas, it does not currently purchase any wind capacity for customers in the region.

The generation sources can be located in the Carolinas or elsewhere.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/17082017/duke-energy-seeks-wind-power-for-carolina-customers/