Duke’s “Smarter Energy Future” is successful corporate deception, not reality
Duke Energy executives spend millions of customer dollars each year to project a green corporate image, with solar panels in nearly every image ad. They’ve successfully misled most North Carolinians and public officials into thinking Duke is a leader in renewable energy.
Below are a few stats that counter Duke Energy’s persistent corporate greenwashing. They’re from an analysis NC WARN filed yesterday with the NC Utilities Commission as we seek an evidentiary hearing over Duke’s “Smarter Energy Future” compared to NC WARN’s NC Clean Path 2025.
U.S. utilities’ current/recent electricity generation from renewables – a few leaders, then Duke:*
- MidAmerican Energy: 48% in 2016
- San Diego Gas & Electric: 43% in 2016
- Pacific Gas & Electric: 33% in 2017
- Southern California Edison: 32% in 2017
- Westar Energy: 32% in 2018
- NextEra: 25% in 2017
- Kauai Electric Cooperative: 23% in 2017
- Southwest Public Service Company (Xcel Energy): 21% in 2017
- Duke Energy in the Carolinas: 3% in 2018**
(Separately, the latest compilation of the 30 largest U.S. utilities ranked Duke Energy at 23rd.)
Renewable energy commitments:
- Kauai Electric Cooperative: 70% by 2019
- Stanford University: 100% by 2021
- State of Vermont: 75% by 2032
- Xcel Energy: 60% by 2030
- Minnesota Electric Cooperative: 50% by 2030
- State of Alaska: 50% by 2025
- Minnesota Power: 44% by 2025
- State of California: 50% by 2030
- State of Hawaii: 40% by 2030
- State of New Jersey: 50% by 2030
- State of New York: 50% by 2030
- S. Virgin Islands: 30% by 2025
- State of Oregon: 25% by 2025
- Duke Energy in the Carolinas: 8% by 2033
Despite the corporate PR, Duke Energy still resists renewables – and battery storage – in its monopoly territories although both solar and near-shore wind energy are cheaper than grid power. Duke leaders are clinging to 20th Century thinking, with plans to build the equivalent of 24 large “natural gas-fired plants in the Carolinas using climate-wrecking fracked gas.”
*See a version with citations.
**Duke has not provided documentation of its actual renewables percentage in the Carolinas but told WRAL News in March that they are at 3 percent.
