In hosting the executives of Duke Energy and his own chief of staff and appointed environmental officials at a dinner at the Executive Mansion, Gov. Pat McCrory clearly demonstrated that his allegiances are with his benefactor and former employer, Duke Energy.
Duke/Kochs' Control of Government
Duke Energy and others in the energy industry consistently use deceptive public relations – and millions of customer dollars – to distort the debate over important decisions. Duke’s control over NC state government is significant. We must face this “inconvenient truth” in order to make the shift to clean, safe energy. This corporate influence has, in the words of Dr. James Hansen, wounded our democracy.
Particularly egregious are efforts by Duke, the Koch brothers and other industry powers to slow the growth of solar energy and, in North Carolina, to prevent competition from third-party providers of no-upfront-cost solar deals that put solar energy within reach of many more homeowners and businesses. Another good example of corporate power is the passage in some states of Construction Work in Progress laws that allow utilities to charge customers in advance for building expensive new plants that aren’t even needed.
In 2015, Duke Energy, the Koch Brothers and others successfully kept the Energy Freedom bill bottled up in committee at the NC legislature. The bill would have opened up NC to third-party solar deals. Read about our 2015 Duke Hates Solar campaign in support of the bill.
Read about our Solar Freedom project at Faith Community Church in Greensboro — a test case in the state’s ban on third-party sales of electricity.
Direct Appeals for Dialogue with Duke Energy
NC WARN has repeatedly reached out to Duke Energy executives, seeking to collaborate with them on moving away from obstructionism and toward a clean energy future. A few examples are listed here.
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Carole W. Troxler: Duke’s warning — The News & Observer
This is no light matter for Duke Energy, which may explain its willingness to play Goliath with NC WARN’s David. The “people power” group urges efficiency and clean energy. It pushes Duke to generate renewable energy and scoffs at the company’s projection of 4 percent solar power within 15 years.
We at NC WARN sincerely appreciate Carole Troxler sharing her words, and in a variety of papers across the state.
Church-Solar Test Case Draws Broad Support — News Release from NC WARN
Duke Energy seeks massive penalty against NC WARN, but the Christian Coalition and other faith and conservation groups join the state and national solar industry to seek an end to monopoly control of rooftop.
Church Fights Duke Energy for 3rd Party Solar — ABC 11 News [includes video]
Duke Energy Seeks $120,000 Sanction against Critics in Church-Solar Test Case — News Release from NC WARN
As a legal battle begins over whether only Duke Energy can sell electricity in its captive territories, the nation’s largest electric corporation is calling for massive financial punishment of its long-time critic, nonprofit NC WARN, for selling solar power to a community church in Greensboro.
Duke Energy wants fines against Greensboro church’s solar project — Taft Wareback, News & Record
Duke Energy urges regulators to fine advocates in solar case — Bruce Henderson, The Charlotte Observer
Rein in Duke Energy, Groups Tell Attorney General — News Release from NC WARN
An alliance of nonprofits today called for NC Attorney General Roy Cooper to assert his explicit legal authority to enforce the corporate charter of Duke Energy, saying an investigation of the corporation’s North Carolina operations is required due to its history of criminality – from partnering with Enron to coal ash failures – and a rapidly advancing climate crisis that could see sea levels rise 10 feet by mid-century.
See coverage in the Los Angeles Times, Charlotte Observer and others.
Duke Energy – Koch Cabal Beats Down Solar in NC — News Release from NC WARN
It’s tragic that Duke Energy, the Koch Brothers and their pro-fossil fuel front groups such as the John Locke Foundation, Civitas and Americans for Prosperity were able to recklessly disrupt North Carolina’s once-growing renewable energy industry.
A Church Challenges Duke Energy Over Solar — WUNC
The church, it turns out, did not pay to install the solar panels, like a homeowner would. Instead, NC Warn, an advocacy group, paid for the panels and is selling electricity back to the church at about half the rate Duke Energy charges.
It’s called third-party sales, and it’s illegal in just four states in the country: North Carolina, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Florida.
Solar Bashing Fight in Florida Exposed
Trigaux: Keen to preserve own power, Florida electric utilities up fight against solar By Robert Trigaux Got to hand it to the powers who so deftly control Florida’s electricity market. Just when solar power finally shows signs of progress in the Sunshine State, the cabal of electric utility monopolies and …
Editors Beware Solar Deception by Duke, Kochs, Allies — News Release from NC WARN
The national campaign by entrenched fossil fuel corporations to stanch the rapid growth of solar power is now playing out full-bore in the North Carolina legislative and public opinion arenas. What needs to be a healthy debate about our state’s electricity and climate path forward is being hijacked by Duke Energy and Koch brother forces that are distorting issues in dire need of clarity.
Red tape preventing Greensboro church from getting solar energy — News & Record
It’s the latest chapter in a solar industry saga in which North Carolina soars above other states in many categories of solar deployment linked to large-scale commercial power projects, but paradoxically it lags in dispersing this burgeoning technology onto rooftops throughout its cities and rural areas.