Report: NC renewable energy investments grew at slower rate in 2015
By John Murawski, The News & Observer.
North Carolina’s investment in renewable energy appears to be peaking.
For the first time since 2007, the amount of money that residents and businesses have claimed in the state’s renewable energy tax credit has barely budged.
Last year, the amount claimed was $136.3 million, only 7.5 percent more than the $126.7 million claimed in 2014, according to a report issued Friday by the N.C. Department of Revenue.
In previous years, the amount claimed would roughly double every year as Duke Energy and other utilities raced to meet the state’s mandate for renewable energy. The smaller increase in 2015 does not have an obvious explanation, said Charlotte tax accountant Randy Lucas, who advises investors in renewable energy projects.