News & Updates

Biden-Harris Administration Announces RWE As Provisional Winner of Lake Charles Lease Area

Raleigh, N.C. – The Department of the Interior today announced the results of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) offshore wind auction off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. RWE Offshore US Gulf, LLC is the provisional winner of the Lake Charles Lease Area…

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Duke Energy Files Carbon Plan IRP

Raleigh, N.C.-  On August 17th, 2023, Duke Energy filed its combined Carbon Plan and IRP (CPIRP) proposal with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC). The Carbon Plan is mandated through HB951 and requires the NCUC to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to achieve 70 percent carbon emissions reductions from 2005 levels by 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 using a least-cost approach. 

BOEM Announces Three Final Wind Energy Areas in the Central Atlantic

Raleigh, N.C.-  Today, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced three final Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Central Atlantic region, including a lease off the coast of Virginia. This announcement marks a milestone in the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. 

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Offshore Wind Area Lease Sale in the Gulf of Mexico

Raleigh, N.C. – The Department of the Interior announced today that it will hold the first-ever offshore wind energy lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, marking a historic step in the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to achieve 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030. 

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SEWC Submits Comments in Response to an NOI Amending LAC 43:V.Chapter 7, 707, 711-717, and 725-733- Leasing State Lands and Water Bottoms for the Exploration, Development and Production of Wind Energy

Raleigh, N.C. – On June 12, 2023, the Southeastern Wind Coalition (SEWC) submitted public comments in response to a Notice of Intent (NOI) Amending LAC 43:V.Chapter 7, 707, 711-717, and 725-733- Leasing State Lands and Water Bottoms for the Exploration, Development and Production of Wind Energy.

Offshore Wind Will Keep the Lights On

On Christmas Eve, half a million North Carolinians were impacted by rolling blackouts during an extreme cold snap. It brought electric reliability to the forefront of public thought once again. Duke Energy said the cause of the blackouts was a combination of reliance on unavailable purchased power from neighboring utilities and under-performance from key energy resources: two coal plants and a natural gas one. The plants were impacted by weather, causing components to freeze and drastically reduce energy production. Their backup, generators in neighboring utilities, had no power to spare since they experienced the same cold snap.

Opinion: Kitty Hawk wind initiative will be a boon to Virginia

Twenty-seven miles from Virginia Beach, two turbines gently spin in the coastal breeze, generating enough electricity to power 7,500 homes. Too far from shore to be seen, these turbines represent a major step in the United States’ energy transition. Hundreds of turbines spanning dozens of projects along the Atlantic Coast will join these towers soon, including Avangrid Renewables’ Kitty Hawk North Wind Project.

Duke Energy Releases 2022 Carbon Plan

Raleigh, N.C. – On December 30th, Duke Energy filed its final 2022 Carolinas Carbon Plan with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) – a clean energy plan mandated through HB951 that requires the NCUC to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to achieve 70 percent carbon emissions reductions from 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 using a least-cost approach. 

SCC Approves Amended Customer Protection Agreement for Commercial Virginia Offshore Wind Project

Richmond, VA – This afternoon, the State Corporation Commission of Virginia (SCC) approved a joint agreement filed by the Office of the Attorney General, Walmart, Sierra Club, Appalachian Voices, and Dominion Energy Virginia, the developer of the Commercial Virginia Offshore Wind Project (CVOW). This agreement replaces the performance guarantee previously mandated in the August 5 approval of the CVOW project and outlines new customer protections, including:

Governor Youngkin releases the 2022 Virginia Energy Plan

Richmond, VA – This morning, Governor Glenn Yougkin and the Virginia Department of Energy unveiled the newest iteration of the Virginia Energy Plan, a proposal outlining the vision toward modernizing the Commonwealth’s energy system. The strategy released today highlights the need to continue building out offshore wind projects to drive economic growth while lowering energy costs for ratepayers. Given its independence from traditional fuel sources and low resource requirements post-construction, wind energy will help the Youngkin Administration lower costs of living for Virginians, create jobs, and encourage growth while establishing Virginia as a leader in industry’s supply chain.