a couple of weeks ago i attended a cultural event on sustainable energy that really opened my eyes on the situation and its severity.
Ellen Ruff, the newly named president of this globally driven company, is looking towards the future with plans to provide sustainable energy for all. Duke Energy provides energy to North and South Carolina, feeding well over 2 million people with power needed to survive in this treacherous world. It is said that there will be a 30-50% price increase of electric bills in the near future due to new carbon legislations being passed by the government. This is a result of dependencies on coal plants in North Carolina and surrounding states. Duke is not against the use of coal as a source of energy, but does believe that it will negatively affect the environment of those states that solely rely on coal. This is where Dukes five-part plan comes in to soften the effects of the increasing demand for energy in these modern times. Along with plans on replacing less efficient coal plants and cutting down on emissions, Ellen Ruff states that the company will soon diverge from coal as an energy source, building one of the last Duke coal plants in the near future.
Duke also branches out in alternate sources of power. The company mentions nuclear power, building their first nuclear plant since 1986. Due in 2011, 2 620-megawatt natural gas-fired plants will be in the works as well. Renewable resourses will not be left out of this plan, providing solar powered farms and rooftops. Although solar power may cost more to produce and is less efficient then other sources available, it is just one step being taken to steer away from a dependency on the growing costs of coal. “None of these are short term issues,” states the president of Duke Energy, and stresses that this problem “needs to be stimulated at every level.” Sustainable energy is the provision to meet needs of the present, but will not hinder our future generations to come.
