Mercedes Mullins
North Carolina has relied heavily on fossil fuels to power its homes and businesses for decades, with coal, nuclear energy, and natural gas being the leading energy sources in the state. The state does not produce fossil fuels, oil, or natural gas, and instead imports its supplies from other states and abroad. In 2023, North Carolina ranked among the top 10 states with the highest petroleum use, and its drivers' total annual expenditure for gasoline and total motor gasoline consumption are among the top five states. While North Carolina has substantial renewable energy resources, the state still has the fastest-growing energy industry in the Southeast, employing over 39,000 people.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Energy consumption per capita | Among the lowest one-third of states |
| Energy consumption by sector | Transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial |
| Energy sources | Fossil fuels, coal, nuclear energy, natural gas, hydroelectric, biomass, solar, wind |
| Electricity consumption | Ranked among the top 10 states |
| Petroleum use | Ranked among the top 5 states |
| Gasoline consumption and expenditure | Ranked among the top 5 states |
| Residential electricity prices | 11.22¢ per kWh in Nov 2016, 1.55¢ below the US average |
| Electricity generation from natural gas | 41% in 2023 |
| Electricity generation from nuclear power | 33% in 2023 |
| Ranking in solar generation and capacity | 4th in the nation in 2023, 3rd in 2020 |
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What You'll Learn
North Carolina's energy consumption
North Carolina has relied heavily on fossil fuels for decades, with coal, nuclear energy, and natural gas being the leading energy sources in the state. However, North Carolina also has substantial renewable energy resources. The state has the fastest-growing energy industry in the Southeast, employing over 39,000 people. The largest employers include utility companies such as Duke Energy and Dominion Energy, and energy efficiency companies like GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Siemens, and Schneider Electric.
In 2023, North Carolina ranked fourth in the nation for solar generating capacity, with nearly 6,600 megawatts, and fifth in total solar power generation. The state has over 206 solar companies, providing thousands of renewable energy jobs. In 2015, approximately 7% of North Carolina's energy mix came from renewable sources such as hydroelectric, biomass, and solar. The state ranks third in the country for installed solar capacity and is expected to more than double its capacity over the next five years.
North Carolina also has strong offshore winds along its Atlantic coast, which could provide a significant source of energy for electricity generation. The state's nearly 19 million acres of woodlands provide a large biomass resource and employment for about 74,000 people in the forestry and forest products industries. In addition, wind power is also taking off in North Carolina, with the state starting construction on its first commercial-scale wind farm in 2015, which will be the largest in the Southeast.
Despite the growth of renewable energy sources, fossil fuels still play a significant role in North Carolina's energy mix. Nuclear energy makes up about 33% of the state's energy, making North Carolina the fifth-largest producer of nuclear power in the country. Natural gas-fired generation has also increased in recent years, exceeding coal-fired generation for the first time in 2016. In 2023, natural gas accounted for 41% of the state's total generation. North Carolina was also among the ten states with the highest petroleum use in the same year.
Overall, North Carolina consumes four times more energy than it produces, with the transportation sector being the largest end-use energy consumer, accounting for three-tenths of the state's total energy consumption. The residential sector follows, accounting for slightly more than one-fourth of the state's energy use, while the commercial and industrial sectors each make up about one-fifth. Despite this, North Carolina's total energy consumption per capita is among the lowest one-third of states.
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Fossil fuels used
North Carolina has relied heavily on fossil fuels to power its homes and businesses for decades. Coal, nuclear energy, and natural gas have been the leading energy sources in the state. In 2012, coal-fired power plants provided more than half of the electricity generated in North Carolina. However, natural gas-fired generation exceeded coal-fired generation for the first time in 2016. As of 2023, natural gas and nuclear power provide about three-fourths of North Carolina's total net generation, with natural gas accounting for 41% and nuclear power providing 33%.
North Carolina is among the bottom one-third of states with the lowest natural gas use per capita, even though natural gas use for electricity generation in the state has more than doubled in the past decade. The state is the fifth-largest producer of electricity from nuclear power in the US. In 2015, approximately 7% of North Carolina's energy mix came from renewable sources such as hydroelectric, biomass, and solar.
The transportation sector is North Carolina's largest end-use energy consumer, accounting for three-tenths of the state's total energy consumption. The residential sector follows, accounting for slightly more than one-fourth of the state's energy use. The commercial and industrial sectors each make up about one-fifth of North Carolina's energy consumption. Despite having a lower per capita energy consumption, North Carolina is among the top 10 states with the highest electricity consumption and ranks fourth for residential sector electricity use.
North Carolina has the fastest-growing energy industry in the Southeast, growing by 9.3% since 2010 and employing over 39,000 people. The state has over 206 solar companies, providing thousands of renewable energy jobs. In 2015, North Carolina started construction on the state's first commercial-scale wind farm, which will be the largest in the Southeast. As of 2020, North Carolina had the third-highest solar generation and installed capacity in the US, surpassed only by California and Texas.
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Renewable energy sources
North Carolina has substantial renewable energy resources. In 2023, renewable sources produced about 15% of the state's total electricity, with solar energy accounting for two-thirds of all renewables. Solar energy has rapidly increased in recent years, surpassing conventional hydroelectric power as the largest source of renewable electricity generation in 2017. In 2023, solar power provided about 10% of the state's total electricity generation. North Carolina ranked fourth in the nation in solar generating capacity, with nearly 6,600 megawatts, and fifth in total solar power generation.
The state's solar resources help make North Carolina a leader in solar power. The strong offshore winds along the Atlantic coast could also provide energy for electricity generation. The nearly 19 million acres of woodlands that cover about three-fifths of the state provide a large biomass resource and employment for about 74,000 people in the forestry and forest products industries.
Hydroelectric power is the second-largest source of renewable electricity in North Carolina, accounting for 3% of the state's total generation in 2023. Most of the state's 40 utility-scale hydroelectric dams are owned by electric utilities or municipalities.
In 2007, North Carolina became the first state in the Southeast to adopt a renewable portfolio standard, requiring investor-owned electric utilities to have 12.5% of their electricity retail sales come from renewable energy sources by 2021. This target was met, and in October 2021, the governor signed clean energy legislation into law, committing to closing some coal-fired power plants by 2030 and replacing them with renewable sources.
Despite these efforts, North Carolina consumes four times more energy than it produces and ranks among the 10 states with the highest electricity consumption and residential sector electricity use. The transportation sector is the state's largest end-use energy consumer, followed by the residential sector, with the commercial and industrial sectors each making up about one-fifth of energy consumption.
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Nuclear power
North Carolina has four nuclear power plants that provide about one-third of the state's net generation of electricity. The state is the fifth-largest producer of electricity from nuclear power in the US. The three largest power plants in North Carolina by generation are nuclear. These plants are located in Brunswick, Mecklenburg, and Wake counties and are operated by Duke Energy.
Local and state governments, federal agencies, and electric utilities have emergency response plans in place in case of a nuclear power plant incident. These plans include two "emergency planning zones," with one covering an area within a 10-mile radius of the plant. Local authorities would sound warning sirens and announce safety instructions through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on local television and radio stations. Residents within the 10-mile emergency zone would be evacuated before a release of radiation occurs.
To protect oneself from the effects of a nuclear power plant emergency, individuals are advised to build an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan, and obtain public emergency information materials from the power company or local emergency services office. Shielding and distancing techniques are also recommended to limit radiation exposure.
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Energy industry growth
North Carolina has the fastest-growing energy industry in the Southeast, with a 9.3% growth rate since 2010. The state has a substantial amount of renewable energy resources, with solar power being one of its key strengths. North Carolina ranked fourth in the US for solar generating capacity in 2023, with nearly 6,600 megawatts, and was third in installed capacity. The state also has over 206 solar companies, providing thousands of renewable energy jobs.
The energy industry in North Carolina is a significant employer, with over 39,000 jobs. The largest employers include utility companies such as Duke Energy and Dominion Energy, and energy efficiency companies like GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Siemens, and Schneider Electric.
While North Carolina has relied heavily on fossil fuels like coal, nuclear energy, and natural gas, it is rapidly expanding its renewable energy sources. In 2015, renewable sources such as hydroelectric, biomass, and solar accounted for approximately 7% of the state's energy mix. Nuclear energy has been a significant part of the state's energy mix, contributing about one-third of its energy in 2023, making North Carolina the fifth-largest producer of nuclear power in the US.
The state has also started to embrace wind power, with the construction of its first commercial-scale wind farm beginning in 2015, which will be the largest in the Southeast. Additionally, North Carolina has a regulated electricity market, with local utility companies setting and controlling electricity prices, generation, and delivery in their service areas. This has resulted in lower electricity prices for residents compared to the rest of the country.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, fossil fuels are used in North Carolina. Coal, nuclear energy, and natural gas have been the leading energy sources in the state for decades.
North Carolina has relied on coal, nuclear energy, and natural gas to power its homes and businesses. In 2023, North Carolina was among the top 10 states with the highest petroleum use.
North Carolina has the fastest-growing energy industry in the Southeast, and renewable energy is expanding rapidly in the state. In 2015, approximately 7% of North Carolina's energy mix came from renewable sources, and it ranked third in the nation for solar capacity in 2020. However, fossil fuels and nuclear energy still make up a significant portion of the state's energy mix.
