US Utility To Invest Majorly In Solar Energy

• Duke Energy has filed its new IRP with the North Carolina Utilities Commission  
• It includes plans to deploy 6 GW solar by 2031 along with 2.7 GW battery storage  
• Advanced nuclear to replace coal-fired capacity and hydrogen-capable natural gas projects are also part of the plan  

By 2031, US utility Duke Energy plans to add 6 GW new solar energy capacity in its portfolio along with 2.7 GW battery storage in North Carolina, under its new Carbon Plan Integrated Resource Plan (CPIRP) filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC).  

Onshore wind capacity of 1.2 GW by 2033 and a preserve option of 1.6 GW offshore wind by 2033 or later is also part of the plan, along with 1.7 GW pumped-storage hydro by 2034.  

Duke Energy has also proposed to add 5.8 GW hydrogen-capable natural gas capacity by 2032 to replace coal retirements at Roxbro in Person County and Marshall in Catawba County.  

Advanced nuclear is also on the list as the utility aims for 600 MW capacity by 2035 to partially replace coal retirements at Belews Creek in Stokes County and another existing plant whose location is yet to be decided.  

All of these targets form a near-term action plan for the company, according to the management, based on the least-cost, least-risk portfolio as it aims to exit coal by 2035.   

The utility anticipates energy demand in the Carolinas to increase by around 35,000 GWh over the next 15 years. The Carbon Plan is aimed at accommodating this demand while reducing its carbon emissions.  

The CRIRP includes 3 core energy portfolios for the commission to review and approve for the utility, all achieving the 70% carbon reduction target by 2030, 2033 and 2035, respectively, and all reach carbon neutrality by 2050.   

"We've already made tremendous progress in the energy transition, retiring two-thirds of our aging coal plants in the Carolinas and reducing emissions by 46% since 2005," said Duke Energy's North Carolina President Kendal Bowman. "Now we're proposing specific new generation at existing plant sites, leveraging our current infrastructure, transmission system and workforce to save customers money while supporting job creation and tax base in these communities." 

Details of the utility's CRIRP are available on its website.  

Earlier this year, Duke Energy offloaded its utility-scale renewables business to Brookfield and commercial distributed generation business to ArcLight Capital Partners, saying it needed to streamline its portfolio. The proceeds, it explained, will enable it to enhance grid reliability and incorporate more than 30 GW of regulated renewable energy onto its system by 2035 (see North America PV News Snippets).