Carolinas' solar industry looking for legislative change (Charlotte)

Whether Duke Energy Corp. or Progress Energy Inc. has the right business model for solar projects, renewable-energy advocates generally agree that state law is going to have to change to encourage further development of the industry.

“Both models have merit,” says Steve Kalland, director of the Solar Center at N.C. State University. “But if we want to see more robust growth (in the solar industry), we have to make additional changes to the marketplace.”

There are several potential answers, he says. Many advocates have proposed a feed-in tariff based on European models that set a relatively high price for energy from renewable sources and guarantee developers that price for a long-term contract.

Kalland says some simpler tweaking might do the trick. He says the state could increase the amount of solar power utilities are required to produce under a 2007 law. It could also ease restrictions that prevent businesses from setting up their own solar projects and using the power themselves.

The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association has several proposals. In the General Assembly’s short session now under way, it hopes the legislature will change a tax-credit law that could unintentionally penalize renewable-energy producers.

Read the full story in the Charlotte Business Journal.