Power Sector Opportunities for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions: North Carolina

WRI analysis indicates that North Carolina can reduce its CO2 emissions by 29 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 through a combination of its Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS), increased combined heat and power (CHP) capacity, fuller utilization of combined cycle natural gas (NGCC) plants, and improved efficiency at coal-fired power plants.

• North Carolina has the potential to reduce its CO2 emissions by 29 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 using existing state policies and infrastructure, which would meet or exceed relatively 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, with energy efficiency measures accounting for up to 25 percent of this through 2020 and 40 percent from 2021. Meeting this through in-state generation could reduce CO2 emissions by 6 percent below 2011 levels in 2020.
• Increasing the operating capacity of existing combined cycle natural gas (NGCC) units from 38 percent in 2011 to 75 percent would reduce reliance on coal and could lower CO2 emissions by 17 percent below 2011 levels by 2020.
• Additional emissions reductions can be achieved by increasing combined heat and power (CHP) capacity—where North Carolina currently uses about 24 percent of its 6.5 gigawatts of total potential—and by improving the efficiency of existing coal-fired power plants, 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} }