Progress, Duke easily reach early goals set by legislature - Triangle Business Journal

Progress, Duke easily reach early goals set by legislature - Triangle Business Journal:

Triangle Business Journal - by Frank Vinluan

"The legislation established a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard that required both Progress Energy and Duke Energy to obtain 12.5 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2021. While the early goals are easier to meet, the targets get stiffer over time.

This year, utilities must get 0.02 percent of their electricity from solar energy, a mark that both Progress and Duke have met. The next solar benchmark is in 2018.

Raleigh-based Progress met the goal mostly by purchasing power from independently owned solar projects, says spokesman Scott Sutton. Duke, which is headquartered in Charlotte and serves parts of Durham, also has met the target with its own facilities as well as by purchasing power from other providers, spokesman Jason Walls says."