North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives are also testing and evaluating new energy solutions and innovative technology that will help make our sustainability goals a reality. Electric co-ops are able to leverage thousands of resources across the state to dispatch generation when it is needed and trim electricity use during times of peak demand. This includes efforts such as:
- Community solar
- Microgrids
- Electric vehicle chargers
- Smart thermostats and water heaters
This edge-of-grid coordination, which we are able to achieve through ongoing engagement with our consumer-members, is what truly sets electric cooperatives apart from other utilities. Because we are based in and belong to the local communities we serve, we have strong relationships with our members and can work with them as we shape the future of the electric grid and make power more affordable, reliable, and sustainable for everyone.
In addition, efforts to use electricity in new and beneficial ways to make devices and processes cleaner, smarter, and cheaper–from electric vehicles to agricultural electrification–will help us further cut carbon emissions and reach our long-term carbon reduction goals.