Duke Power versus Progress Energy Green Initiatives by Stephanie Barr
Energy giants Duke Power Company and Progress Energy are set to complete the largest energy company merger to date by the end of 2011. While both CEOs of the respective companies have stated their commitment to green energy what does that really mean in the scope of the merger. Is this all talk or do they have initiatives already in place to back up to environmentally friendly talk?
Both Duke Power and Progress Energy have a very user-friendly websites that hosts the following information taken directly from their site outlining their current green energy and clean living initiatives. It is broken down into what Duke is currently committed to and then what Progress Energy is currently committed to.
WIND
DUKE POWER
* Duke Energy generates 935 megawatts (MW) of electricity at wind farms it owns in Pennsylvania, Texas and Wyoming. The company will bring an additional 51 MW online by December 2010.
* Duke Energy provides wind-generated electricity for up to 15 percent of Walmart's 360 buildings in Texas.
* Duke Energy buys to 100 MW of electricity from a wind farm in Indiana.
PROGRESS ENERGY
* Small-scale Wind Turbines: Progress Energy is studying the potential for small wind turbines around our service territory in North Carolina and Florida. The goal of these programs is to test the potential for small-scale, grid-tied, distributed wind-generation projects in the 1 to 100 kW range. They have installed a micro-turbine in Florida and are actively mapping wind resources to identify if they should install additional turbines.
* Offshore Wind Feasibility Study: Progress Energy states they are investing in a three-year study of the potential for offshore wind power in North Carolina. Led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this is the most comprehensive mapping of offshore wind to date and will provide specific data and forecasting tools to help decision-makers plan for potential offshore wind power projects
SOLAR
DUKE POWER
* Duke Energy owns a 14-MW solar farm in Texas and a 1-MW solar farm in North Carolina.
* Duke Energy buys 4 MW of electricity from an independently owned North Carolina solar farm-the state's largest at 16 MW when completed.
* Duke Energy isi installing solar panels on office buildings, manufacturing plants, schools and warehouses
* to create an 8-MW generation network in North Carolina.
PROGRESS ENERGY
* Here in the Carolinas, Progress Energy is investing in a variety of solar energy projects, including one of the first utility-scale solar facilities to generate power for customers, located at the Sutton Plant in Wilmington, NC. In total, Progress contracted over 11 MW (11,000 kW) of solar photovoltaic facilities scheduled to be online by the end of 2010.
HYDRO
DUKE POWER
* Duke Energy maintains 3,200 MW of hydroelectric capacity as the second-largest, investor-owned hydro operator in the U.S. The company owns and operates an additional 2,900 MW of hydro in South America.
PROGRESS ENERGY
* The company owns and operates four hydroelectric plants in the Carolinas, providing 225 megawatts (MW) of reliable, economical power. These plants play a critical role in our overall generating portfolio, supplying peak demand power that our customers depend upon
BIOMASS
DUKE POWER
* Duke Energy and AREVA operate a joint venture to develop biomass-fueled power plants - the nation's first biomass-to-electricity partnership between two major energy companies.
* Duke Energy is testing the use of biomass mixed with coal at some of its traditionally all-coal power plants.
PROGRESS ENERGY
* Biomass Studies show that the Progress Energy service territory has good biomass resource potential. Typical sources of biomass include agricultural or animal residues, wood residues, municipal discards and dedicated energy crops. Progress Energy is taking advantage of this potential by conducting biomass trials at their facilities, signing contracts to purchase about 300 MW of electricity generated from biomass, and partnering with local research organizations to develop new technologies.
LANDFILL GAS
Duke Energy buys 5 MW of electricity generated by the combustion of methane gas from decaying garbage at two landfills in North Carolina and South Carolina.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Duke Energy is working closely with automakers, utilities and regional governments to prepare for the potential widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
DUKE POWER
* Duke Energy is investing $1 billion in smart grid technology to improve the efficiency of its substations, power lines and electric and gas meters.
* Duke Energy operates major energy efficiency programs to help its 4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky use less electricity, without impacting comfort or convenience.
PROGRESS ENERGY
* Municipal solid waste (MSW) Progress Energy purchases power from five MSW plants in Florida to supply 144 megawatts (MW) of electricity. In the Carolinas, they purchases power from two MSW plants totaling 16.2 MW of electricity.
* Wood, tires, landfill gas Progress Energy purchases power from one plant in Florida that uses wood waste, tires and landfill gas to supply 40 MW of electricity. In North Carolina, the company purchases power from three plants that use wood, biomass or methane, totaling approximately 77 MW of electricity.
* Heat recovery Progress Energy purchases power from four plants in Florida that use industrial waste heat to supply 20 MW of electricity, and one plant in North Carolina that supplies 10 MW of electricity
* Biodiesel Progress Energy supports the Triangle J Council of
* Governments' and Triangle Clean Cities Coalition's biodiesel initiative. Biodiesel is a fuel that can be used in any diesel vehicle with no modifications. It is produced from organic feed stocks such as soybeans, cooking oil and animal fats. There are currently two biodiesel fueling stations in Wake County, North Carolina -- one in Garner and one in Cary. They encourages its employees to fill Progress Energy trucks at these stations.
About the Author
Stephanie Barr senior contributor Make Carolina Green. She writes bout green energy and other environmental of the Carolinas. Go Green Carolina
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