Go Duke!

No.. not basketball season yet! I'm just praising Duke Energy and the leadership it is showing in being a proponent of renewable energy.

PG&E has long been the champion of renewable energy in California Now Duke Energy seems to be taking a big lead in the Carolinas.

Duke Energy Carolinas is seeking bids from solar power companies to supply solar panels, electrical equipment and installation services as part of the utility's proposed $100 million North Carolina solar plan. Starting in early 2009, Duke Energy wants to install electricity- generating photovoltaic solar panels at up to 850 North Carolina sites, including homes, schools, office buildings, shopping malls, warehouses and large manufacturing facilities -- both on roofs and on the ground. Electricity generated through the program would total at least 16 megawatts -- enough to power 2,600 homes -- after the solar power is converted from direct current to alternating current. The proposal, first announced in June, requires approval by the North Carolina Utilities Commission before it can be implemented.

More details in an industry announcement at Greentech Media, including these details that Duke Energy is taking a holistic view of renewable and clean energy initatives and is not wedded to one industry or its lobbyists but is genuinely interested in offering renewable energy options to its customers:

In addition to its solar distributed generation plan, Duke Energy in the past four months also has announced a series of other renewable and clean- energy initiatives, including: -- The purchase of the entire electricity output (16 megawatts) from what will be one of the nation's largest photovoltaic solar power plants, to be built in Davidson County, N.C., during the next two years.

-- A partnership with General Motors and other utilities to help lay the groundwork for the large-scale launch of plug-in electric vehicles, starting in 2010.

-- The acquisition of a large wind company -- Vermont-based Catamount Energy -- which has 283 net megawatts of wind power in operation and another 1,750 megawatts under development.

-- A request for proposals from renewable energy developers to supply significant amounts of electricity to Duke Energy customers in Ohio.

-- The purchase of the entire electricity output from a power plant fueled by methane gas naturally emitted from decaying garbage at a closed Durham, N.C., landfill. The facility will produce enough electricity to serve 1,600 homes.

And there's this additional news yesterday on the wind energy front:

Duke Energy announced today a long-term agreement for the sale of 99 megawatts of electricity from its new Wyoming wind farm, as well as the purchase of 100 wind turbines from General Electric that will produce 150 megawatts of power at multiple U.S. sites.

I hope more utilities follow suit soon!