North Carolina Lawmakers Vote to Keep Renewable Energy Standard

(RALEIGH, NC – April 22, 2015) A bill that would have ended North Carolina’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) failed to pass a house committee 14-16, a bipartisan vote that protects the only REPS in the Southeast and one of 29 in the country. House bill 681 would have undercut the state’s rapidly growing solar industry, which has led to over $2 billion of direct investment in the state and employment for 4,300 workers at 450 companies.

“North Carolina lawmakers made the right choice by protecting North Carolina’s growing clean energy economy. By voting against this misguided bill, lawmakers helped ensure the state’s clean energy industry will continue to prosper. 

“Clean energy has widespread, bipartisan support in North Carolina. Lawmakers recognize the solar industry is creating jobs and driving economic growth, particularly in rural areas.”

• Greg Andeck, Senior Manager, EDF Clean Energy Program