‘They know they can do better’: Climate activists attack Duke Energy carbon plan
Dozens of people concerned about climate change spoke in opposition to Duke Energy’s proposed carbon emissions reduction plan at a North Carolina Utilities Commission hearing in Charlotte Thursday night.
The hearing at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse was one of four held around the state this summer, with two more to be held remotely on Aug. 23.
Here’s what you should know:
The carbon plan
Under a state law passed last year, Duke Energy was required to create a plan detailing how it would reduce carbon emissions. The proposal, which it filed with the Utilities Commission in May, lays out four potential paths for cutting emissions.
Just one of the four paths meets the law’s target of reducing emissions by 70% of 2005 levels by 2030. The others would meet that goal between 2032 and 2034 with the addition of offshore wind turbines and a small nuclear reactor, an extension that the law permits.
Under all four paths, the company plans to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2035 and reach carbon neutrality by 2050. It also plans to expand natural gas and onshore wind power.
At the hearing
About 60 environmental advocates gathered outside the courthouse before the hearing, and many of them spoke to the commission. They also held a rally at Marshall Park earlier in the day.
Over about three hours, 34 speakers addressed the commission.
Speakers at the hearing ranged from teenagers to grandparents and from teachers to doctors to former Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts.
Nearly every speaker voiced opposition to the proposed plan, arguing that it fails to make the rapid divestment from fossil fuels that climate scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst effects of global warming.
Lawrence Toliver, a member of the climate action group 350.org, called the plan “pathetic.”
“They know they can do better,” he said of Duke Energy.
Many speakers said they opposed the plan because of its reliance on natural gas.
While natural gas emits less carbon dioxide than coal-fired power plants, it contains high levels of methane. Methane is another greenhouse gas that is shorter-lived than carbon but more than 25 times as potent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Several speakers shared fears about their children’s and grandchildren’s future amid a changing climate. They pressed the commission and Duke Energy to cut back faster on fossil fuels and rapidly expand renewable sources of energy, like wind and solar.
“Can you look in the eyes of our children and tell them you did the best that you could to give them a future?” Roberts, the former mayor, asked the commission. She called for a renewed focus on environmental justice, which she said the plan did not take into account.
John Gaertner, who described himself as an unofficial liaison between environmental activists and Duke Energy, was the sole speaker to suggest the proposal could be a success.
“This energy transition is imperative and difficult,” Gaertner said. He added that the plan marked “significant progress” in the advancement of clean energy, and encouraged the commission to work with Duke Energy to refine it further.
Bailey Scarlett, an environmental studies student at Davidson College, was the last speaker of the night. He urged the commission to create not just a mediocre plan, but a plan that goes beyond simple emissions reduction targets and inspires a future generation of environmental leaders.
“You could make an impact far greater than what the calculator says,” he told the commission.
Duke Energy’s response
Representatives from Duke Energy could only listen, not respond, to public comments at the hearing.
In an interview, Kendal Bowman, the utility’s vice president of regulatory affairs and policy, told The Charlotte Observer that some fossil fuel resources like natural gas are still necessary to ensure the power grid can meet demand.
“To get to the carbon reduction goals, we have to ensure reliability,” she said.
What’s next
The commission has until the end of the year to approve a plan.
This story was originally published July 29, 2022 at 11:17 AM.
