The Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast

In the last episode before #100, we’re joined by the team at the NC Clean Energy Fund, who share how they’re positioning North Carolina to take advantage of the significant federal clean energy investments to further accelerate the energy transition here in the region. Specifically, Jen Weiss and Melissa Malkin-Weber talk to us about programs like Solar for All and how they’re partnering with financial institutions across the state to ensure families from all walks of life have the opportunity to invest and participate in the clean energy economy. Additional resources from today’s episode: Making Energy Work: www.makingenergywork.com Solar for All: https://bit.ly/3LCP9tE NC Clean Energy Fund: https://www.nccleanenergyfund.com/ This episode is brought to you by Solarize the Triangle: https://bit.ly/3NRPoRL Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

In August 2023, Duke Energy filed their proposal for the next iteration of the Carbon Plan, also known as the CPIRP. We’re joined by Katharine Kollins of the Southeastern Wind Coalition, Steve Levitas of Pine Gate Renewables, and Dave Rogers of the Sierra Club, who break down the filing and share what it means for short- and long-term clean energy deployment in the state. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Additional resources from today’s episode: Making Energy Work: www.makingenergywork.com Duke Energy’s 2023 Carbon Plan Filing: bit.ly/45TVXuy This episode is brought to you by Solarize the Triangle: https://bit.ly/3NRPoRL Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

Caitlin Marquis of Advanced Energy United joins this episode of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast to share the details of FERC Order 2023 and how it sets out to untangle the backlog of renewable projects in interconnection queues. Specifically, we talk about how the order outlines a new ‘cluster study’ approach to speed up studying grid impacts for proposed projects. Should the order move forward with implementation, it’ll address one of the many barriers the country is facing with interconnection and transmission – an important topic of conversation for expediting clean energy deployment. Additional resources from today’s episode: Making Energy Work: www.makingenergywork.com NC Building Code Update: https://bit.ly/44hJ3Fz FERC Order 2023: https://bit.ly/3YKI67x NCUC Duke Energy Carolinas Interconnection Report: https://bit.ly/45Fivir NCUC Duke Energy Progress Interconnection Report: https://bit.ly/3PaCqR9 Duke University Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability Report on FERC Order 2023: https://bit.ly/47KkpQC This episode is brought to you by Solarize the Triangle: https://bit.ly/3NRPoRL Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On episode 96, we’re joined by Susannah Tuttle and Ren Martin of North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light to talk about the role that communities of faith play in advancing the clean energy transition in the state of North Carolina. In the conversation, we talk about the issues they’re tracking and advocating for including solar rebates, building codes, and church-specific rate structures with Duke Energy. In addition, we highlight the fact that many houses of worship across the state have also invested themselves in clean energy with their own solar installations. Additional resources from today’s episode: Making Energy Work: www.makingenergywork.com Houses of worship across the state with solar: bit.ly/3QFvmgl This episode is brought to you by Solarize the Triangle: https://bit.ly/3NRPoRL Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On episode 95, we’re joined by Maia Hutt of the Southern Environmental Law Center to break down the latest status of the Southeast Energy Exchange Market in light of a recent appeals court ruling. What does this ruling mean for SEEM moving forward? Tune in to hear what the future looks like for this trading market in the southeast. Additional resources from today’s episode: Making Energy Work: www.makingenergywork.com Solar Surpasses Coal Generation: https://bit.ly/3rOG8Xm This episode is brought to you by Solarize the Triangle: https://bit.ly/3NRPoRL Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On episode 94, we’re joined by an icon of the sustainability and clean energy movement – legendary author, organizer, and educator Bill McKibben. You’ve probably followed his work starting with his book The End of Nature, and most recently as the founder of Third Act. In our conversation, we cover the challenges currently standing in the way of the clean energy transition from ‘regulatory capture’ to local opposition of projects like wind and solar. But fortunately, these challenges have solutions. Tune in to hear how Bill envisions the clean energy future playing out and what it means for North Carolina. Additional resources from today’s episode: Making Energy Work: www.makingenergywork.com Latest Updates on HB488: https://bit.ly/46O4ArD Third Act: https://thirdact.org/ This episode is brought to you by Solarize the Triangle: https://bit.ly/3NRPoRL Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On episode 93, we’re joined by two experts who have been at the intersection of energy efficiency, building codes, and policy for quite some time. Julie Robinson of Robinson Consulting Group and Rob Howard of Howard Building Science share the latest on efforts to update NC’s significantly outdated residential energy efficiency standards and how those updates could save homeowners some serious cash. We’ll also hear about efforts at the NC General Assembly to stall updates to the code until 2031. Tune in to hear how the saga is playing out and how you can get involved. Additional resources from today’s episode: Current NC Codes: https://bit.ly/3CNjh0h HB 488 Action Alert: https://bit.ly/42Mcvn4 Latest Building Code Council News: https://bit.ly/3XiELf4 Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

Ever since the $8.5 Billion VC Sumner nuclear plant failure in South Carolina, the region has been exploring ways to better protect ratepayers from utility overreach and unchecked spending. This led to the introduction and passage of a bill in SC to study the benefits of market reform for the state. And the results are in…South Carolina ratepayers could save upwards of $360M a year by joining a regional wholesale market. Earlier this year, NC experienced our own utility challenges with Winter Storm Elliott, which knocked out power to more than 500k customers. These reliability concerns led to the NC General Assembly introducing our own version of a study bill to explore potential savings and reliability improvements that would come with alternative market structures. In fact, some third parties already authored a study that showed NC could save nearly $593M/year by joining an RTO market. On this episode, we discuss the latest developments on related to market reform in the southeast and the potential benefits it could bring to ratepayers. We’re joined by Chris Carmody of the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Alliance and Reese Rogers of the Clean Energy Buyers Association who break down the latest! Additional resources from today's episode: SC Brattle Study: bit.ly/43LShtR NC Brattle Study: bit.ly/42tAaHU Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On this episode of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast, we’re back and in action at the 2023 State Energy Conference. In this live recording, we host a conversation with some of the leading influencers in the electric transportation sector to cover all angles of the federal investments being made via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. The keynote plenary panel conversation features Dr. Shelley Francis of EVNoire, Walter Thorn of ChargerHelp!, and Richard Ezike of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. Tune in to this conversation to hear how the public and private sectors are combining forces to ensure we map out an equitable and accessible electric transportation future. Additional resources from today’s episode: NEM Extension Order: https://bit.ly/3IkBaH4 HB 488 Action Alert: https://bit.ly/42Mcvn4 NC NEVI Plan: https://bit.ly/3o5PI6L Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

Just a few weeks ago, the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) issued a long-awaited order determining the future of rooftop solar compensation in North Carolina. The order comes after a large group of settling parties, including utilities, solar installers, and clean energy advocates, filed multiple compromise agreements in 2021/2022 to determine a path forward for rooftop solar in the state. Taylor Jones (NC Sustainable Energy Association), Will Giese (Solar Energy Industries Association), Lon Huber (Duke Energy), and Bob Kingery (Southern Energy Management) join the podcast to discuss the order and how it’s set to transform the industry moving forward. Additional resources from today’s episodes: NC Utilities Commission Order: https://bit.ly/3AW5DHC NCSEA’s Blog on 2023 Net Metering Updates: https://bit.ly/44wPu92 Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @Matt Abele)

NASCAR driver and sports icon Leilani Münter joins the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast to talk about her commitment to clean energy and how she’s used her vehicles as a platform to promote solar over the years! In this episode, we talk about her career as a high-speed professional, and as a star on the silver screen. We also dive into her own experience with EVs and solar right here in the Carolinas. Tune in to hear how this icon has helped to transform public perception around clean energy and what she’s doing next! Additional resources from today’s episode: State Energy Conference: https://www.ncenergyconference.com/ Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

The NC Governor’s Office just released their Deep Decarbonization Pathways Analysis which outlines potential strategies that the state can adopt to reach carbon neutrality across the economy by 2050. In this episode, we sit down with Zach Pierce, Senior Advisor for Climate Change Policy for Governor Roy Cooper, to discover the interplay between emissions reductions efforts in electricity, transportation, and harder-to-abate sectors. Equipped with the latest standards and scenarios, the report gives a better understanding of the progress we’ve made and recommends how NC can achieve the Governor’s goals moving forward. Deep Decarbonization Pathways Analysis: https://bit.ly/3nlcruN Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On one of our shorter episodes of the podcast, we travel out to Pembroke, NC to learn more about a commercial PV system installed for the Lumbee Regional Development Association. Eagle Solar & Light, along with Sunwealth, put together a financial package for the non-profit, allowing them to install the solar system with no upfront costs via a monthly lease. Learn more about why solar leasing hasn’t taken off yet in North Carolina and what the loss of the Duke Energy rebate program means for disadvantaged communities. What unrealized benefits do scalable solar leasing models offer marginalized communities across state? Tune in to find out! Building Code Council Meeting: https://bit.ly/3wT2ztD South Carolina RTO Study: https://bit.ly/3T3dCKX Duke Rate Increase Proposal: https://bit.ly/3J3Dimf Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On the latest episode of the podcast, we sit down with Ben Catt, CEO of Pine Gate Renewables to talk about the secret sauce of scaling a clean energy business. We cover the company’s success along the way, some of the unforeseen challenges, and how the clean energy market as a whole has changed over the past 10 years. The conversation also covers the intersection of policy, business model, and timing as crucial factors to growing a leading clean energy company.

Imagine a future where EVs can travel 50% further with batteries that are cheaper than they are today. What if that future was being led by research and development stemming out of North Carolina? Well that’s exactly what we’re covering on this episode of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast, where we feature an interview with Dr. Glen Merfeld, Chief Technology Officer with Albemarle. Tune in to hear about the exciting investments they’re making right here in North Carolina, and the innovations they have in store for the next generation of storage technologies. Additional resources from today’s episode: Albemarle Technology Park Announcement: https://prn.to/3DD56vI NCSEA’s CLE Event: https://bit.ly/3joHgfS Building Code Council Meeting: https://bit.ly/3wT2ztD Customer Clean Energy Programs Filed: https://bit.ly/3l5ZCmO Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On episode 84, we’re highlighting what really happened during Winter Storm Elliott, which led to millions of customers without power across the southeast. Despite some who were quick to blame renewables, the outages actually were caused by natural gas and coal plants, forecasting miscalculations, and issues importing power from neighboring states. We talk with Simon Mahan of the Southern Renewable Energy Association about what really happened and what can be done in the future to prevent similar outages from occurring. Additional resources from today’s episode: NCSEA’s CLE Event: https://bit.ly/3joHgfS Winter Storm Elliott Coverage: https://bit.ly/3wgnUgo Southern Renewable Energy Association: https://www.southernrenewable.org/ Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

Episode 83 of the Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast is the episode you’ve been waiting for. The Carbon Plan order from the NC Utilities Commission is finally here and we’re diving into all the details. How does it compare to what advocates asked for? Does it set us on a path to 2030 emissions reduction compliance? Does this mean more fossil generation in North Carolina? All your questions and more answered by Tyler Norris of Cypress Creek Renewables, Taylor Jones of NCSEA, and Ben Smith of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton. Additional resources from today’s episode: NC Utilities Commission Carbon Plan Order: https://bit.ly/3GiiMwE SELC/NCSEA Press Release on Carbon Plan Order: https://bit.ly/3i9OyUA Carbon Plan Analysis from CPSA: https://bit.ly/3QFOcSk NCSEA’s Carbon Plan Webinar: https://bit.ly/3XyQZiN Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

The first episode of 2023 features a conversation with Shakaya Cooper, Program Associate at Generation180. We delve into findings from the organization’s recent report ‘North Carolina Drives Electric 2022’ to highlight consumer readiness for EVs across the state. In fact, over half of North Carolinians are likely to consider an EV for their next vehicle, getting us one step closer to Governor Cooper’s goal of 1.25 million EVs on the road by 2030. Tune in to learn more about the report, effective mechanisms to incentivize EV adoption, and the many benefits that transportation electrification offers our state moving forward. Generation180’s North Carolina Drives Electric Report: https://bit.ly/3QfjRdl NC Utilities Commission Carbon Plan Order: https://bit.ly/3GiiMwE SELC/NCSEA Press Release on Carbon Plan Order: https://bit.ly/3i9OyUA Duke Energy’s Rolling Blackouts: https://bit.ly/3ZaRW23 NCSEA’s CLE Event: https://bit.ly/3joHgfS Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On the final episode of the year, we are joined by Sagarika Subramanian, Senior Research Analyst at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). She shares results from the most recent report card on North Carolina’s energy efficiency efforts and discusses the common threads of top performing states. Our conversation covers the latest in energy efficiency trends and the roles that policy, building codes, utility market structure, and equity play for national leaders in the space. Tune in to learn how North Carolina stacks up and discover ways that we can improve moving forward. Additional resources from today’s episode: NC Utilities Commission Carbon Plan Docket: https://bit.ly/3WiwPci NCSEA’s CLE Event: https://bit.ly/3joHgfS Past Clean Energy Champions Episodes: https://bit.ly/3WxY1ng, https://bit.ly/3VpHFwc Clean Energy Champions Event Winners: https://bit.ly/3FPIZCH ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard: https://bit.ly/3WjlSrd North Carolina’s Scorecard: https://bit.ly/3G8jjCD Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.

On the 80th episode of the podcast, we bring on Wall Street Journal Reporter Katherine Blunt to unearth the issues that arise when a utility neglects grid maintenance and community resilience in pursuit of profits. On this episode we cover how a series of regulatory and corporate missteps led to the deadliest wildlife in California’s history. We then contextualize this situation for the grid and energy system in North Carolina and the southeast, and talk more about our own challenges with increasingly severe flooding and hurricanes. Additional resources from today’s episode: 2022 North Carolina Clean Jobs Report: https://bit.ly/3h9D3M7 Governor Cooper’s EO 271: https://bit.ly/3U0R3WV NC MHD MOU: https://bit.ly/3t0rh9i WFAE Story on EO271 and NC’s Advanced Clean Trucks Rule: https://bit.ly/3sW3lE8 Presented by NC Sustainable Energy Association. Hosted and produced by Matt Abele (Twitter: @MattAbele) Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @squeakycleanpodcast.