Businesses in North Carolina express 'serious concerns' with controversial energy legislation

A group of major businesses in North Carolina are calling on the North Carolina General Assembly to go back to the drawing board on controversial energy legislation to instead put forth legislation that will build a clean, affordable, and resilient electricity grid. 

In a letter sent today to legislative leaders, Biogen, DSM North America, Gaia Herbs, Google, JLL, Mars Incorporated, Nestlé, New Belgium Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada Brewing, and Unilever expressed significant concerns with House Bill 951 in its current form and outlined recommendations for what they would like to see in comprehensive energy legislation. 

“While we appreciate the efforts of the HB 951 sponsors to modernize and bolster the electricity grid, we cannot support energy legislation that fails to prioritize affordability and decarbonization,” they wrote in the letter. “Energy is critical to North Carolina’s economic vitality. It is crucial that lawmakers make smart energy-related decisions today in order to protect our economy and meet the needs of citizens and businesses for many years to come.”

Businesses also have met virtually with lawmakers and joined a letter to share their support for getting meaningful clean energy legislation signed into law this year. In addition to the businesses on today’s letter, Burt’s Bees, Cree Lighting, McDonald’s Corporation, and VF Corporation are among the businesses calling for North Carolina to adopt policies that will expand renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and set the state on a path toward a net zero emissions future.  

“Sierra Nevada is proud to operate the largest solar array in craft beer and the first production brewery in the country to achieve Platinum LEED certification. Now, we urge the General Assembly to establish robust statewide policies that will clean North Carolina’s electricity grid and help businesses small and large access renewable energy," said Leah Cooper, sustainability manager for Sierra Nevada’s Mills River brewery, following an advocacy event in June. “Companies like ours are working for a more sustainable future for all North Carolinians, and we hope state leaders will partner with us in the effort."

“We hope that North Carolina continues to expand access to renewable energy and embraces a zero-carbon future,” said Matt Hamilton, corporate sustainability director, VF Corporation, coming out of a series of meetings with North Carolina lawmakers in June. “At VF Corporation, we believe investments in the clean energy economy are down payments on North Carolina’s future, supporting job growth and economic vitality.”

North Carolina lawmakers unveiled HB 951 on June 15, following months of closed-door negotiations. Among the many provisions included in the bill is a plan to replace the state’s underperforming coal plants with legislatively-determined resources, including a significant amount  of new natural gas capacity. The legislation does not include many of the provisions that businesses support as a way to help North Carolina decarbonize its electricity grid and cost-effectively transition to the clean energy economy. 

“North Carolina businesses understand that the energy policy decisions made today will have significant implications for the state’s ability to cut carbon pollution and stay competitive in the modern economy,” said Brianna Esteves, manager of state policy, Ceres. “North Carolina lawmakers should press the pause button on this controversial legislation and develop legislation that matches the ambitions and the needs of the business community when it comes to the demand for a clean, affordable, resilient, and flexible electricity grid” 

Ceres and its business partners have long advocated for energy policies to support an affordable, reliable, clean electricity grid in North Carolina, such as the bipartisan House Bill 589 to expand clean energy access for businesses in the state and the state’s first Clean Energy Plan. Aside from these minor clean energy wins, North Carolina has not made comprehensive reforms to its energy policy since the passage of its bipartisan Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) law in 2007.

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.