North Carolina gets nearly 5 percent of its electricity from solar panels. The state’s solar farms survived Hurricane Florence with little damage. Credit: Duke Energy Faced with Hurricane Florence’s powerful winds and record rainfall, North Carolina’s solar farms held up with only minimal damage while other parts of the electricity system failed, an outcome that solar advocates hope will help to steer the broader energy debate. North Carolina has more solar power than any state other than California, much of it built in the two years since Hurricane Matthew hit the region. Before last week, the state hadn’t seen how its growing solar developments—providing about 4.6 percent of the state’s electricity—would fare in the face of a hurricane. Florence provided a test of how the systems stand up to severe weather as renewable energy use increases, particularly solar, which is growing faster in the Southeast than any other other region. Inside the future of energy. When Florence made landfall on Sept. 14, it caused power outages across the region. As energy experts point out, the most vulnerable part of the system is not new at all: it’s the power lines and other equipment that transport electricity to customers. "What […]
Latest Articles
Everybody Clap! Endangered Seal Species Hits Comeback Milestone
Takeaways: The population of Hawaiian monk seals, found only in Hawaii, has surpassed 1500 seals.
This is higher than their number has been in...
This Parisian Hotel Is a ‘Living Building’ With a Glorious Green Facade
Takeaways: Villa M. in the south of Paris is hotel that is dramatically covered in plants.
The plant façade is intended to grow into...
No More Russian Oil: How Europe Could Cut 35% Of Its Transport Oil Demand
Takeaways: The UK and the European Union have announced plants to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022.
Almost all of...
Lessons from Panda Conservation Could Help Asia’s Other, Overlooked, Bears
Takeaways: Pandas conservation efforts are largely due to the public attention they have gotten over the years which have led to significant funding to...
A Massive Solar Power Farm Will Be Built in California Desert
Takeaways: A major solar energy project, the Crimson Solar Project will be built in the Californian desert.
Once completed, it will have the capacity...
A 1,000-Pound Great White Shark just Spotted Off Coast of New Jersey
Takeaways: A 1000 pound great white shark was spotted off the coast of New Jersey.
This shark, Ironbound, has traveled an estimated 13,000 miles...