Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy
Pioneering community-owned renewable energy
In the volatile debate on wind power permitting in North Carolina (SB1068), it seems that the only versions of the story being told are utility-scale wind farms and anti-wind. In other words, it’s a polarized, “all or nothing” framing of the issue as shaped by the media and the over-simplified public rhetoric. Here’s a closer
In this rapidly changing story, WNC wind escapes the senate’s ax in the eleventh hour this afternoon. It now heads back to senate Ag/Environment/Natural Resources Committee. More shortly on this unfolding plot. We’ll have a fully updated analysis and resource page asap. Stay tuned!
Please read the below articles for a description of the setback realized today by North Carolinians seeking clean environmentally-sensitive wind energy development in the Old North State: – //blogs.newsobserver.com/bullseye/state-lawmakers-reject-wind-power
Thanks to a huge grassroots effort, the ban on windpower in the NC mountains has been averted, at least for the moment. By our count, AIRE and other groups were able to mobilize hundreds of calls and emails to senators over the 4th of July weekend. The senate Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources committee discussed
“We think there is a way to create long-term, sustainable jobs so you can feed your families.” Steve Owen Executive Director, AIRE speaking directly to the Massey Energy counter-protestors On Tuesday, June 23, hundreds of people gathered at an anti-mountaintop removal coal mining rally at Marsh Fork Elementary School in West Virginia to protest the
The Southern Appalachian region contains abundant and readily available wind, solar, and microhydro resources for producing home-grown, clean, and renewable energy. The Western North Carolina Renewable Energy Initiative (WNCREI) is an Appalachian State University Energy Center (ASUEC) project dedicated to helping create a sustainable energy future for our region. The WNCREI is proud to host