emPOWERed – A Comprehensive Energy Program for Congregations
Clean energy is our future and we are exploring today the technologies of tomorrow. As an organization, we address energy efficiency, resources for renewable energy, and energy policy.
North Carolina IPL (NCIPL) works via advocacy and direct interaction to support NC congregations to reduce their energy use and move to renewable energy. A part of NCIPL is the Energy Working Group (EWG). The EWG is a volunteer group of energy experts and enthusiasts responsible for the direct interaction with congregations. We provide free energy audits to congregations to help them begin to think about and act to reduce their energy use. We have provided over 225 of these analyses since 2007. We also provide advice on the value of adding solar energy to their facilities; many congregations have gone this route. Finally, we provide advocacy guidance for the congregations asking them to speak with legislators, the NC Utility Commission and Duke Energy. This has focused on asking for favorable solar net metering conditions to help more congregations find solar valuable and on maintaining and stepping up efforts to decarbonize the NC electricity production to net zero.
NCIPL wants to empower every congregation to do all they can to reduce their carbon footprint and move to clean energy. We also offer an energy analysis at no charge to faith communities, plus many other resources through our emPOWERed program.
“You can’t manage what you can’t measure” is a phrase used in the building industry to illustrate that a building owner cannot manage the energy performance of a building if its energy performance cannot be measured. Many congregations seek to reduce their carbon footprint, but do not know what that footprint is currently. The EPA’s energy performance rating systems, Portfolio Manager and Target Finder, easily enable obtaining that assessment. Click here to learn more.
Duke Energy Net Metering customers from the former Progress Energy now have online access to their electric bills. To activate your online account, go here https://www.duke-energy.com/my-account/Sign-In
When Progress Energy and Duke Energy merged, former Progress Energy net metering customers lost access to their online accounts. These accounts provided the customer with:
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- information on solar kWh that were not used on site and returned to the grid that Progress subtracted from your monthly electricity use
- it reported total kWh you used from Duke Energy
- it reported any extra kWh of solar sent to the grid that Progress would carry to the next month
- it reported your detailed electricity charges.
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NCIPL’s emPOWERed program is also featuring a 90-second video released by Appalachian Voices and Resource Media explaining in everyday terms the Pay As You Save® model of inclusive on-bill financing for energy efficiency and how it can benefit residents. Learn how some customers are getting home energy efficiency improvements that save money on their electric bill with no up-front costs, no loans, and no debt.
