Targeting renewable energy: green power continues to gain momentum in the Carolinas.

The Carolinas may not be green energy-obsessed California, but the two states are increasingly embracing--and profiting from --renewable energy. Although only 7 percent of North Carolina's electricity, and 4 percent of South Carolina's, currently comes from renewable sources, usually conventional hydroelectric power, observers say green power is gaining momentum in the two states.

From utility companies that buy or produce renewably sourced energy to established providers of green-energy systems or components to the growing number of industry entrepreneurs, renewable energy is here to stay. Credit goes to growing consumer interest, the prospect of stricter federal clean-air laws and increased affordability of generating and consuming renewable energy. For example, solar module prices have dropped 60 percent in the last two years, says Jim Poch, executive director of the South Carolina Clean Energy Business Alliance.

Consider the following:

* In June 2014, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill creating new targets for renewable energy. The bill pushes utility companies to diversify their energy portfolios and enables customers to lease solar panels for their homes or businesses rather than having to buy the materials and pay upfront for the installation. The law updates net metering policies, establishes a voluntary distributed energy resource program for utilities, and allows utilities to recover renewable-energy production costs. And by 2021, new proposals from power companies would have to show that at least 2 percent of the energy they produce would come from solar. North Carolina is one of 38 states with renewable portfolio standards or goals mandating that utilities replace some portion of their carbon-based generation with renewable sources.

* Duke Energy's two utilities made the Solar Electric Power Association's Top 10 list for new solar capacity added by utilities in 2013. Duke Energy Progress ranked No. 5 in the nation, with 137 megawatts of new solar generation capacity added to its grid last year. Duke Energy Carolinas came in at No. 10, with 57.8 megawatts installed. The list is based on solar installations built privately, with the power sold to the utilities. While three of the top four utilities on the list are in California, North Carolina is the only other state with more than one company in the top 10, ranking fourth in the nation in total solar capacity, according to Randy Wheeless, a Duke Energy spokesman.

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