Green on the Grid
I have to admit I’ve been wary of NC Green Power since I’ve only heard about them through the little flier that comes with my Duke Power bill. If you haven’t seen the flier, it asks for a tax deductible donation towards research and implementation of ecological alternative energy sources.
The culprit of my cynicism is the link with big corporations. Why should I give money to a nonprofit, when essentially it’s going to be making money for some million dollar executives on down the line? Shouldn’t they be invested in this research more than anyone else, especially since it will keep their wallets thick when fossil fuel sources are completely drained? I still don’t have an answer to how it will all work out, but many of my worries were quelled simply by checking out the NC Green Power website.
According to The NC Solar Center, “Approximately 125 utilities throughout the United States offer green power programs. North Carolina is the first state that has developed a statewide, regulated green power program.” A quick look at the Green Power website, and my faith was somewhat renewed. (I think a little caution is always worthwhile.)
Well, NCers, here’s some info from the NC Green Power site:
- N.C. possesses no significant indigenous fossil fuel resources
- North Carolina ranks eighth in the nation in total utility retail electric sales, producing more than 120 million megawatt hours per year.
- Air pollution has reduced the average visibility in the Smoky Mountains from 113 miles to 25 miles.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 8% of women of childbearing age have unsafe levels of mercury in their blood streams, which can lead to birth defects and brain damage in babies. Mercury is one of the most toxic forms of pollution released during fossil fuel combustion and is most commonly passed onto humans through consumption of fish.
Though certainly arguable, I don’t see nuclear power (yes, some believe nuclear power is a clean option—though I should clarify that NC Green Power does not), photovoltaic solar cells, or even ethanol as the future of so-called green energy. Photovoltaic cells aren’t advanced enough yet to create enough energy efficiently enough. Surprisingly, to me at least, there are several entities that collect methane gas from landfills and agricultural animal waste to produce power.
If you’re already creating energy through alternative sources, and would like to sell your excess back, there’s an online application to get the process started.
They also have a way to make the holiday’s a little greener—share the power of ecology with a loved one by giving an NC Green Power Gift card.
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