Power Sector Opportunities for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions: North Carolina

This fact sheet by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes how North Carolina can utilize existing state policies and infrastructure to reduce power sector carbon dioxide emissions and meet or exceed forthcoming U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

• North Carolina has the potential to reduce its CO2 emissions by 29 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 by leveraging existing state policies and infrastructure, which would meet or exceed stringent EPA standards for existing power plants.
• The state's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) requires 12.5 percent of electricity sold by utilities to come from renewable sources by 2021. Meeting this through in-state generation could reduce CO2 emissions by 6 percent below 2011 levels by 2020. Energy efficiency measures can account for up to 25 percent of these requirements through 2020, increasing to 40 percent in 2021.
• Increasing the operating capacity of existing combined cycle natural gas (NGCC) units from 38 percent in 2011 to 75 percent would decrease reliance on coal and could reduce CO2 emissions by 17 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Additional emission reduction opportunities include increasing combined heat and power (CHP) capacity, where North Carolina currently uses about 24 percent of a 6.5 gigawatt total potential (including existing capacity), and improving the efficiency of coal-fired plants through refurbishment and maintenance, which could reduce CO2 emissions by 1 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Power Sector Opportunities for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions: North Carolina. https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-north-carolina

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Power Sector Opportunities for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions: North Carolina. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-north-carolina.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Power Sector Opportunities for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions: North Carolina |url=https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-north-carolina |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendpower, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Power Sector Opportunities for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions: North Carolina}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/power-sector-opportunities-reducing-carbon-dioxide-emissions-north-carolina}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }