Flipping the switch: renewables have shown their importance to the North Carolina energy industry, but their growth requires clearer policies and better technology.

• Position: ENERGY ROUND TABLE

ROUND TABLE PARTICIPANTS:

Johan Enslin director of UNC Charlotte's Energy Production and Infrastructure Center

Bill Heitman executive energy adviser at Central Piedmont Community College's Center for Energy Training in Charlotte

Jenny Kelvington N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Energy Policy Council senior engineer

Betsy McCorkle director of government affairs for Raleigh-based North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association

Joel Olsen president of Cornelius-based 02 Energy Inc.

CPCC was the host sponsor for the round table, which was moderated by Peter Anderson, Business North Carolina's special projects editor. The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Giving life to electric devices is as easy as plugging them in. But finding power is more complicated for the North Carolina energy industry, as regulations ensnarl fossil-fuel and nuclear plants. To meet demand, the industry needs to develop new technology, nurture a strong workforce and promote state policies that encourage development of renewable energy. How big of a role will renewables play in the state's future? How will the industry develop the technologies and labor to operate them? Will they need support from state government? Business North Carolina recently gathered a panel of experts to answer these and other questions.

How much of North Carolina's energy generation comes from renewables?

Kelvington: Renewables are about 2% of generation in the state. Solar is increasing, especially in the last year. There also is hydroelectric, which has been around for some time. North Carolina ranks second or third in renewables growth in the country. The challenge will be matching the peak curve of renewable generation and the curve for peak demand. For example, solar generation comes close to matching demand during the summer. But it can't put enough electricity on the grid to meet high demand during winter mornings.

McCorkle: Despite the buzz it's creating, solar is less than 1% of the portfolio. There isn't any utility-scale wind generation in the state. There is some electricity from wind being put on the grid, but it's a fraction of a percentage.

Olsen: There are two ways to look at power generation. The first is generation capacity. The second is how much energy is supplied and consumed. Renewables have always been less than 10% of generation, but their rapid growth is causing pre-emptive fear and action about how they will plug into the grid. They're coming, but we need to integrate them to benefit ratepayers, shareholders, renewable-energy companies, private-sector competition, businesses and jobs. Renewables are part of the portfolio and key to the future. The assumption is renewables are expensive. That's incorrect. We'll see renewables become less expensive.

Enslin: Many power plants--especially coal-fired ones--will soon be retired. They will be replaced with better, safer and cleaner technology. Nuclear is clean, so we anticipate existing nuclear being replaced with new nuclear. Coal needs to be cleaner to have any chance in the future. There are interesting clean-coal technologies, but they are expensive and still in development. A positive about renewables, at...