An outstanding business climate supports companies locating and expanding in N.C.

North Carolina was once again among Site Selection’s Top-Ten Competitive States of 2011. In the May 2012 edition of the magazine, North Carolina is listed as the number five most competitive state in the nation for business.

The annual ranking is based a review of 2011 economic development projects. Included in the list of criteria reviewed are:

• The number of new and expanded facilities;
• Capital investment in new and expanded facilities;
• The number of new jobs created; and
• State unemployment rate (US BEA)

In addition, the following performance indexes are also incorporated into each state’s score:

• Rank in the corporate real estate executive portion of the 2011 Site Selection Business Climate Ranking;
• State tax climate as ranked by the Tax Foundation; and
• Performance in the Beacon Hill Institute’s State Competitiveness Index.

North Carolina is currently ranked third for Best Business Climate and fourth for Most New Projects and Expansions by Site Selection magazine.

The state is consistently recognized for its outstanding business climate thanks to its business friendly environment, low overall costs of doing business, productive and skilled workforce, global market access and research and development infrastructure.

VIDEO Credit Suisse: North Carolina’s Pro-Business Climate
Jim Captain, Managing Director for Credit Suisse in Research Triangle Park describes how state and local government and the academic and business communities work together to support business growth in North Carolina in this Thrive video.

Read more in Site Selection.

Dr. Chris Frey | 919.515.1155

New research from North Carolina State University shows that federal requirements governing diesel engines of new tractor trailer trucks have resulted in major cuts in emissions of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) – pollutants that have significant human health and environmental impacts.

Diesel truck with sampling equipment attached.

“These requirements for new emission control technologies have increased costs for truck owners and operators, and we wanted to know whether there was any real benefit,” says Dr. Chris Frey, professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the research. “We found that there is a huge reduction in both PM and NOx emissions.”

Frey and Ph.D. student Gurdas Sandhu used a portable emissions measurement system to sample exhaust from diesel trucks while the trucks were in use on roads and highways. The emission requirements apply to new trucks, meaning that trucks purchased in 2010 and trucks purchased in 1999 were subject to different emission requirements.

Frey and Sandhu found that a truck in compliance with 1999 standards emitted 110 grams of NOx per gallon of fuel used, and 0.22 grams of PM per gallon of fuel used. NOx is a significant contributor to low-level ozone, which adversely impacts respiratory health. PM also adversely impacts respiratory health and, because it is largely made up of black carbon, also contributes to global climate change.

Trucks in compliance with newer standards had far lower emissions. For example, a 2010 truck emitted 2 grams of NOx per gallon of fuel – a decrease of 98 percent. The PM emissions were 95 percent lower.

The NOx reductions stem from the implementation of exhaust gas recirculation and selective catalytic reduction technologies. The PM reductions are the result of installing diesel particulate filters into the tail pipes of diesel trucks.

“While these technologies are a significant investment for truck owners, this study shows that they are achieving a remarkable drop in emissions of contaminants that have meaningful health and environmental consequences,” Frey says.

The paper, “Real-World Measurement and Evaluation of Heavy Duty Truck Duty Cycles, Fuels, and Emission Control Technologies,” is forthcoming from Transportation Research Record, the journal of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). Sandhu is lead author of the paper. The research was supported by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the National Science Foundation.

 
 
Note to Editors: The study abstract follows. It is published with permission of the TRB on behalf of the National Academy of Sciences. The TRB publications index is available at http://pubsindex.trb.org/.
 
 

“Real-World Measurement and Evaluation of Heavy Duty Truck Duty Cycles, Fuels, and Emission Control Technologies”

 
Authors: Gurdas S. Sandhu and H. Christopher Frey, North Carolina State University

Published: forthcoming, Transportation Research Record

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to assess the robustness of relative comparisons in emission rates between fuels and technologies to differences in real-world duty cycles based on in-use measurements of five heavy duty diesel vehicles (HDDVs).  The paper briefly reviews prior comparisons of biodiesel versus ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) with respect to emissions, recent changes in emission standards applicable to HDDVs, and typical emission control technologies used in HDDVs.  The study methodology includes field measurements with a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) and related instruments and sensors for five selected HDDVs operated in normal service by professional drivers on multiple roundtrip routes within North Carolina.  Duty cycles and emission rates are quantified based on manifold absolute pressure (MAP), which is an indicator of engine load.   Variability in engine load for each observed roundtrip is quantified based on the cumulative distribution function of normalized MAP.  The effect of variability in duty cycles on fuel-based emission rates for NO, CO, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter is evaluated.  Comparisons are made for emissions of three trucks operated on each of B20 biodiesel and ULSD.  Furthermore, comparisons are made among five trucks with model years ranging from 1999 to 2010 to illustrate the impact of different emission standards and emission control technologies on real world emission rates.  A key finding is that relative comparisons pertaining to fuels and technologies are robust to variability in observed duty cycles.

A 2012 energy issues poll found a vast majority of North Carolina voters are embracing energy efficiency efforts to save on household expenses. Of the 703 registered voters who were surveyed, 87.7 percent said they supported making energy efficiency efforts to meet North Carolina’s growing energy and electricity needs. Fallon Research conducted the statewide survey for the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA).

$82.8 Million in Energy Savings

Voters’ attitudes on energy efficiency align with a statewide push to reduce energy usage and keep money in taxpayers’ pockets. In the last fiscal year, North Carolina’s Utility Savings Initiative saved the state’s taxpayers more than $82.8 million, according to a report by the North Carolina Energy Office.

This program helps state agencies, the University of North Carolina system, the state’s community colleges, public schools and county and municipal governments reduce their use of energy, water and other utilities. Since the Utility Savings Initiative was launched in 2003, the state has avoided more than $417 million while investing $11.5 million into utility savings improvements in North Carolina government and university facilities.

Statewide Survey

NCSEA’s statewide public opinion poll was conducted March 26-29, 2012, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.69 percentage points. North Carolina voters were surveyed via landline and cellular phone numbers on their support or opposition to a number of energy-related questions.

Fallon Research is a polling and communications firm that has previously worked with numerous groups in North Carolina, including the NC Realtors Association, NC Home Builders Association and Triangle Transit Authority, in addition to political candidates and independent expenditure groups across the nation.

“Our poll results are very revealing. The results show that amidst our economic recovery, an overwhelming 88% of North Carolinians spent money on ways to save energy last year. This is supported by results showing North Carolinians want to gain more control over their monthly energy bills,” said Ivan Urlaub, NCSEA Executive Director. “We are seeing and hearing the same across the state – consumer awareness of how to save money by saving energy is rising. This is a reasonable market response to the rise in utility rates and bills over the past five years. The market for energy efficiency solutions has really taken off in North Carolina, and we expect to see continued strong job growth and investments in North Carolina’s energy efficiency industry throughout the remainder of this decade as rates and bills rise further to pay for more than $20 billion of new power plants and increasing fuel costs.”

Energy Efficiency Poll Results

This is the second consecutive year, NCSEA has polled North Carolina voters to gauge consumer attitudes on energy issues. Last week, NCSEA released a portion of its poll results about renewable energy sources and the cost of energy. Click here to see those results.

• Amidst the slow recovery from the recession, more than 88 percent of respondents spent money to become more energy efficient last year, more than 21 percent of respondents to the poll spent more than $1,000 last year on ways to save energy.
• Only 4 percent of respondents used a utility program for some or all of their improvements, while much larger 62 percent of respondents entirely self-financed their efficiency improvements. More than 19 percent used a combination of both. This is staggering, given our state offers no energy efficiency tax credits.

• 87.7 percent support energy efficiency, such as installing energy saving light bulbs, programmable thermostats or Energy Star-certified appliances
• 88 percent have taken steps (in the past year) to make their homes more energy efficient to reduce usage and monthly bills
• 70.9 percent used personal/family funds to pay for energy efficiency improvements and 21.5 percent used a combination of personal or family funds and an energy efficiency program offered by their utility. The chart below shows a breakdown of respondents by partisan registration.

Parent company Capitol Broadcasting Company installed a 1-megawatt solar farm at the site of WRAL-TV’s main broadcast antenna in Garner to generate electricity and will sell it back to Progress Energy Carolinas.

Over the course of a year, CBC expects to generate enough power for about 100 homes.

WRAL.com paired the solar farm launch with a web page where anyone can monitor the cloud conditions, shade and temperature impacts on the energy generated in real-time, along with an explanatory graphic on how solar power works.

Progress is purchasing the electricity as part of its state-required mandate to generate power from renewable sources. Lloyd Yates, Progress president and chief executive officer, said the CBC site is part of a larger effort to increase the use of solar as an energy source.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The solar array is the first in the state to be constructed around a TV station tower.

“We make it company policy to be as innovative as possible when it comes to our investments and our impact on the community,” said Jim Goodmon, president and chief executive officer of Capitol Broadcasting Company. “We hope our solar array at our Garner satellite station will be utilized as a learning tool for everyone from school children to executives in similar industries to learn about renewable energy.”

Installation was done by Baker Renewable Energy.

The offshore wind forum, to be held at Meredith College on April 18, will feature wind power advocates, academics, government officials and a documentary film maker.

Marcilynn Burke, acting assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Interior, will provide an update on her agency’s review of acceptable sea waters for wind power development. Burke oversees the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which handles offshore wind leases.

Last year the bureau restricted large portions of the ocean as unsuitable for development because they conflicted with military, environmental, shipping or other priorities. That decision disqualified waters selected by a wind developer for a potential offshore wind project that will now have to be relocated to another part of the ocean, once the feds identify appropriate tracts.

Also speaking at the forum will be John Williams, assistant secretary for Energy, N.C. Department of Commerce; Brian O’Hara, president of the N.C. Offshore Wind Coalition; John Bane, professor of Marine Sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill; and Art Howard, a photographer and videographer who will preview a video he made for an upcoming PBS segment for Earth Day.

The presentations are free and will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m at the Kresge Auditorium, 3800 Hillsborough St.

Written by John Murawsi, Raleigh New & Observer

Poll respondents seek more energy options amid rising fuel prices and stagnant incomes

RALEIGH, NC, For North Carolinians the cost of gas, electricity, food and other expenses has risen faster than their paychecks. Last year, North Carolina’s income grew only 3.3 percent per capita statewide, according to a recent report by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis ? a division of the US Department of Commerce. North Carolina’s income growth ranked 47th out of 50 states. Only residents in Maine and Alaska experienced slower income growth.

A public opinion poll of registered voters found that more than 50 percent of people said their electricity rates are too high. Fallon Research conducted the statewide survey of 703 respondents for the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA). Of the 55.1 percent of respondents who said electricity rates are too high, 27.3 percent cited power companies raising their profits and 24.7 percent cited inflation and the economy for the high costs.

Overwhelmingly, 85.4 percent of those surveyed said they wanted more options for buying electricity from other companies besides their current utility, like Duke Energy or Progress Energy, and 86.9 percent strongly supported legislation that would allow other energy companies to sell power directly to a customer, which is referred to as third-party sales of electricity. Third-party sales of electricity is allowed in at least 21 states across the U.S.; however, is apparently disallowed by state law or restricted by legal barriers in NC, GA, KY and FL, according to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE). Giving customers more options among energy companies and the type of power they purchase would lead to lower prices.

“For the second consecutive year, North Carolinians in all regions of our state have expressed overwhelming support for the increased use of clean energy sources like wind power, energy efficiency and solar energy,” said Ivan Urlaub, Executive Director of the NC Sustainable Energy Association. “These results confirm that, if given sufficient options under the law, North Carolina’s hard-working citizens and businesses want to play a greater role in making electricity more resilient, affordable, prosperous and secure for all of North Carolina. As electricity rates have increased over the past five years, these results confirm what we are seeing everywhere, that utility bill-payers are spending their own money to use energy more efficiently and to generate their own power, so they can get control of their energy bills.”

The poll was conducted March 26-29, 2012, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.69 percentage points. North Carolina residents were surveyed via landline and cellular phone numbers on their support or opposition to a number of energy-related questions. Fallon Research is a polling and communications firm that has previously worked with numerous groups in North Carolina, including the NC Realtors Association, Regional Transit Authority and NC Home Builders Association, in addition to political candidates and independent expenditure groups across the nation.

The following are just some of the questions that were asked of survey takers. For more results or a breakdown by media market, contact Amneris Solano, Communications & Government Affairs Specialist at amneris@energync.org or (919) 832-7601, ext. 117. To view all poll questions, visit energync.org.

• 81.4 percent agreed elected officials in North Carolina should seek more renewable energy sources to provide consumers and businesses with electricity
• 75.6 percent said over the past two years consumers and businesses have been paying more for electricity
• 68.3 percent said they continue to strongly support the Renewable Energy & Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) law, which will result in our utilities increasing their use of renewable energy and customers’ energy savings to 12.5 percent by 2021.
• 85.4 percent agree there should be more options for providing and purchasing electricity from others to ensure that rates are competitive and that energy providers are responsive to the needs the of their customers and the general public
• 6.9 percent support new legislation that would allow other energy companies besides, Duke Energy and Progress Energy, to sell power and electricity services directly to consumers and businesses in North Carolina to create more market competition

The poll also included questions regarding respondents’ support or opposition to different energy resources to meet the growing needs for energy and electricity to residences and businesses in North Carolina.

Click here to view the press release

Click here to view the survey results

ESA Renewables completes 1.26-megawatt solar power plant, Eastern North Carolina’s largest

New Bern, N.C. (April 5, 2012) – Eastern North Carolina’s largest solar photovoltaic (PV) array is online and generating electricity from atop a massive rooftop in New Bern. The 1.26-megawatt (MW) solar PV array was built and will be operated by ESA Renewables, LLC, and Progress Energy Carolinas will purchase the electricity it generates to serve the utility’s customers.

This solar PV project is part of the utility’s plan to meet the requirements of North Carolina’s renewable portfolio standard. Progress Energy has more than 240 MWs of renewable energy under contract in North Carolina to help meet the requirements of this law, including solar, biofuels, landfill methane and other technologies.

“We remain committed to responsibly pursuing renewable energy resources, and we are pleased that our portfolio of solar projects continues to expand,” said Lloyd Yates, president and chief executive officer of Progress Energy Carolinas. “Projects such as this, coupled with our aggressive energy-efficiency programs and advanced generation facilities, will provide the clean, reliable, affordable power our customers rely on us to provide. We are proud to partner with ESA on this innovative project.”

The New Bern solar array will generate about 1.5 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,000 tons annually. This is equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from about 200 vehicles.  The expected annual energy output equals the annual energy usage of about 100 typical households.

“ESA is excited to have one of Progress Energy Carolinas’ largest installations in the east under our belt,” says ESA President Jeffrey Burkett. “We are ready to see what 2012 will hold for ESA and we will continue to bring solar to the communities of North Carolina and all around the United States.”

Using Poly-crystalline Canadian Solar modules, the array will cover approximately 177,160 square feet of the roof area, becoming one of Progress Energy Carolinas largest installations in the east to date, including ground mounted systems. ESA will operate and maintain the system for the duration of the contract with Progress Energy Carolinas. Included in the operation and maintenance contract is ESA’s own proprietary monitoring system, which was developed in house. The monitoring system is an effective, preventative, and corrective maintenance system that helps monitor the plant with real time data and alerts.

About ESA Renewables, LLC
ESA Renewables has positioned itself as a leader in the industry providing turnkey solar PV systems globally. ESA owns and operates a diverse portfolio of more than 500 solar PV power generating facilities located in the United States, Puerto Rico, Spain and Italy. ESA’s scope of services includes financing, engineering, construction, testing and operation and maintenance. With headquarters in Castellon Spain, ESA has additional offices in Florida, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Chile and Italy. For more information about ESA Renewables, LLC, please visit http://www.esarenewables.com or call 407-268-6455.

About Progress Energy
Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with 23,000 megawatts of generation capacity and approximately $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve about 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company has earned the Edison Electric Institute’s Edison Award, the industry’s highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence, and was the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder’s Award for customer service. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future, which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. Progress Energy celebrated a century of service in 2008. Visit the company’s website at www.progress-energy.com.

Apple (yes, that Apple) filed its plans with the N.C. Utilities Commission on Thursday to build the 4.8-megawatt project in Maiden, about 40 miles northwest of Charlotte. That’s where Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple has built a data center to support the company’s iCloud online data storage system and its SIRI voice-recognition software.

The fuel cell project, the nation’s largest such project not built by an electric utility company, will be developed this year. It will be located on the same data complex that will host a planned 20-megawatt solar farm – the biggest ever proposed in this state.

 But it’s the fuel cell project that’s generating buzz, eclipsing anything ever dreamed of in California, the nation’s epicenter for fuel cell projects.

The shallow waters of the South Atlantic Bight and high wind speeds make the Southeast’s offshore wind resource the most cost-effective on the East Coast. The Southeast contains 63% of the East Coast shallow offshore wind resource and 45% of the total resource.  Onshore wind development is expanding in the region as well, as new technology allows for development in lower wind speed areas.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and then Virginia represent the four states with the lowest estimated offshore wind construction costs on the East Coast.  In addition, an onshore wind manufacturing base exists despite very little onshore wind development in the region.  These manufacturing facilities can be expanded and their highly skilled workforce can be utilized to serve the offshore wind industry as well.  The region’s five world-class port facilities provide the infrastructure necessary to serve the needs of nearby offshore wind development as well as export components from local manufacturing facilities to neighboring states.

The Southeast’s excellent wind resources and  growing population are a natural fit that offers considerable opportunities to both wind developers and the citizens of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.  Over half of the population along the East Coast resides in the Southeast and, including Florida, it represents five of the six largest electricity markets of the eastern coastal states.  Looking into the future, the Southeast is well poised for further population and economic growth that will require new sources of electric generation.

The Southeastern US has the potential to be a long-term leader in East Coast wind energy supply chain and development. The region’s offshore wind resource is second to none, its electricity markets are some of largest and fastest growing on the East Coast, and the region boasts existing world-class supply chain infrastructure and highly-skilled, low-cost labor markets.  Each of these strengths and more were showcased at the Southeastern Coastal Wind Conference at the Charlotte Convention Center on March 8-9, 2012.

 Reposted from AWEA Wind Energy Weekly

Soon the first level of the Market Street parking deck will have a place to “fuel up” or grab a charge. Electric cars will have a charging station with two parking spaces dedicated for the vehicles.

“We do a have a commitment to sustainable growth and for sustainability you have to look at conserving energy and resources,” said City Councilman Kevin O’Grady.

At Tuesday night’s council meeting the board voted to support the Wilmington first charging stations and the two year pilot program with Progress Energy.

“It will allow Progress Energy to collect data on their usage. Hopefully it will demonstrate their profitability, so that in the future there can be private investment into creating electric charging stations throughout the city,” said O’Grady.

The cost of the new charging machines will come at no price to the city as they will be provided by Progress Energy. The only bill the city will see will be for the electricity which is expected to not exceed $10 a month.

The need for the space is speeding up. Data shows the number of electric cars in New Hanover will increase from 134 in 2012 to 795 in 2015.

“Save as much money as you can and help the environment, I think it is a great idea,” said Ashley Isbrecht of Wilmington.

The charging stations won’t be taking up the whole parking deck just yet, but dealerships said the cars are in high demand.

“There is a need for limited charging stations for vehicles but I don’t see it taking over your typical gas vehicle,” said Peter Strauss of Toyota of Wilmington.

City officials said it’s a way to stay ahead of the curve and encourage people to get plugged in.

“Keeps us on the cutting edge of technology. Just like we were with digital TV, with the white spaces development, and now electric cars,” said O’Grady.

Click here to watch the news broadcast story

Reposted from News 14 Carolina