Distributed Energy Storage: The Missing Piece in North Carolina’s Decarbonization Efforts

North Carolina’s success promoting utility-scale solar offers ample proof that when it comes to adoption of new clean energy technologies, state policy drives investment. However, the state has no comparable policies supporting distributed solar or battery storage.

North Carolina currently faces a pivotal moment: in August 2023, utilities submitted draft compliance plans to meet recently established carbon reduction targets – with distributed storage completely omitted. This ignores a cost-effective opportunity to address energy burden, carbon emissions, localized pollution, and resilience.

This report aims to give policymakers and advocates the information they need to encourage the inclusion of distributed storage policy in the state’s carbon reduction plans. It was prepared for Clean Energy Group by Applied Economics Clinic.