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BY CRAIG IARVIS
<br />cjarvis @newobsenvev. cons
<br />North Carolina has been
<br />home to a thriving solar
<br />industry for the past eight
<br />years, thanks to a tax break
<br />and requiring utilities to
<br />develop clean energy.
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<br />But opponents of target-
<br />ed tax credits and govern-
<br />ment- funded advantages
<br />for certain businesses have
<br />been chipping away at.
<br />those benefits - with mixed
<br />results.
<br />This year the state legis-
<br />lature did away with a 35 .
<br />percent tax credit for in-
<br />vestments in renewable
<br />energy.
<br />But efforts to get rid of
<br />what is known as the "re-
<br />newable energy portfolio"
<br />law, which mandates a
<br />certain level of energy
<br />production from solar,
<br />wind and other renewable
<br />sources, have repeatedly
<br />failed.
<br />That debate is expected
<br />to return to the General
<br />Assembly next year. Once
<br />again, the battle will be
<br />pitched.
<br />"I like to call it the most
<br />important state policy issue
<br />you've never heard of,"
<br />Donald Bryson, state direc-
<br />bers working on the issues
<br />"My cause is, how do we
<br />include an energy strategy
<br />decided it might be too
<br />but still hold the cost on
<br />challenging to attempt to
<br />?„
<br />energy.
<br />ass both provisions. The
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<br />The libertarian Amer-
<br />§
<br />icans for Prosperity thinks
<br />vance the tax credit sunset
<br />z
<br />(`'°�s 3
<br />the same way, and in
<br />and tackle the renewable
<br />_
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<br />hopes of building support
<br />energy portfolio freeze in
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<br />. t
<br />for another run at eliminat-
<br />the 2016 short session.
<br /><., u.,s *Al
<br />ing the renewable mandate
<br />The goal, he said, isn't
<br />just to do away with the
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<br />the organization is spon-
<br />renewable energy man-
<br />Donald Bryson, state
<br />Boring a series of Free the
<br />Grid „ town halls around
<br />date, which he and other
<br />director o f Americans for
<br />the state.
<br />opponents consider a gov-
<br />Prosperity, on the
<br />Earlier this month it held
<br />ernment subsidy, but to
<br />renewable energy
<br />the first meeting in
<br />work toward a broader
<br />mandate
<br />r
<br />mington, where Hager and
<br />overall strategy.
<br />Rep. Chris Millis, a civil
<br />"We want to develop a
<br />engineer and Republican
<br />low- emission energy port-
<br />representing Onslow and
<br />folio, which would include
<br />Pender counties, spoke to a
<br />renewable, nuclear, hydro
<br />full house. U.S. Rep. David
<br />and others, to drive us
<br />Rouzer also spoke on Envi-
<br />toward not only low -cost
<br />ronmental Protection
<br />energy but also low CO2
<br />Agency regulations.
<br />(carbon dioxide) emis-
<br />Town halls are planned
<br />sions,” Hager said.
<br />in Raleigh, Winston -Salem
<br />COSTS OF RENEWABLES
<br />and Asheville. The group
<br />He said the purpose of
<br />has also launched a cam -
<br />the 2007 law establishing
<br />paign of door -to -door,
<br />the portfolio was not about
<br />phone and mail efforts.
<br />lowering carbon emissions
<br />We think it hurts in-
<br />but about boosting the
<br />novation in the energy
<br />wind industry, which most-
<br />industry, Bryson said of
<br />"We're
<br />ly ended up helping the
<br />the mandate. not
<br />solar industry. That, he
<br />opposed to solar. We're
<br />said, ended up being more
<br />not opposed to wind. -
<br />expensive for ratepayers.
<br />We're not opposed to
<br />"People don't realize
<br />health insurance --but
<br />what the renewable port -
<br />when Obamacare required
<br />folio costs us, „ Hager said.
<br />people to buy it, it hurt the
<br />Not just a little on the bill
<br />"Not
<br />It's the same
<br />every month. It's an addi-
<br />way with REPS (renewable
<br />tive effect on all products
<br />energy portfolios)."
<br />in stores; distributors,
<br />Bryson said it's a long -
<br />manufacturers have that
<br />range issue for AFP, and
<br />burden, too. Plus it's em-
<br />that if it isn't successful
<br />bedded in every state,
<br />next year it will be back at
<br />federal and local govern-
<br />the legislature the follow -
<br />ment. So it's inflationary to
<br />ing year for the long ses-
<br />A,- F, - -I ............... --
<br />sion.
<br />for of Americans for Pros
<br />perity, said Friday.
<br />North Carolina gave a
<br />shot in the arm to solar
<br />and, to a lesser extent,
<br />wind power in 2007 whe
<br />the legislature set a goal
<br />for utilities to produce 12
<br />percent of their electricit
<br />from renewable energy.
<br />sources. The current rat(
<br />6 percent, and would gr(
<br />to 10 percent in 2018 an
<br />cap off at 12.5 percent in
<br />2021.
<br />Rep. Mike Hager, a Re
<br />publican from Rutherfor
<br />ton and a former Duke
<br />Energy engineer, has cri
<br />sailed against the portfo
<br />law for the past several
<br />years. He has been thwal
<br />ed by a bipartisan bloc of
<br />legislators who point to t
<br />jobs and other economic
<br />benefits of the growing
<br />alternative energy indus,
<br />ry.
<br />As he has in the past,
<br />Hager worked in this re-
<br />cent-session for a freeze
<br />those escalating portfoli-
<br />rates in two bills. In the
<br />final shuffling of legisla-
<br />tion, the only provision
<br />that survived was the or
<br />allowing the tax credit t
<br />sunset.
<br />Hager said Friday tha
<br />House and Senate mem
<br />
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