Governor Cooper signed House Bill 589, a substantial portion of which is necessary and comprehensive energy legislation that secures a booming North Carolina solar energy industry that leads the nation. Immediately after signing it, Cooper signed Executive Order No. 11, aimed at promoting wind energy and mitigating the effects of a wind energy moratorium that he opposes.

“A strong renewable energy industry is good for our environment and our economy,” said Cooper. “This bill is critical for the future of significant increases in our already booming solar industry. I strongly oppose the ugly, last-minute, politically motivated wind moratorium. However, this fragile and hard fought solar deal will be lost if I veto this legislation and that veto is sustained.”

“As I signed the bill into law today, I also signed Executive Order No. 11 that will mitigate the effects of the moratorium. This executive order directs DEQ to continue recruiting wind energy investments and to move forward with all of the behind the scenes work involved with bringing wind energy projects online, including reviewing permits and conducting pre-application review for prospective sites. I want wind energy facilities to come online quickly when this moratorium expires so our economy and our environment can continue to benefit.”

Randy Wheeless, spokesman for Duke Energy, said in a prepared statement, “The solar aspects of this legislation will benefit residential, commercial and industrial customers alike—saving them money and allowing for more ways to secure renewable energy.”

SEIA responded to the news with this prepared statement by Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO:

“We appreciate Governor Cooper’s leadership in signing NC H589 today, a measure that will significantly enhance the solar market in North Carolina and continue the growth of solar jobs within the state. The programs created by this legislation, namely the competitive solicitation process for new utility scale solar and the addition of a rooftop solar leasing program, will help North Carolina retain its position as a top market for solar in the United States. Unfortunately, the last-minute inclusion of an 18-month wind moratorium was both unnecessary and disappointing and we hope the Governor’s executive order can help mitigate that portion of the bill. We stand by our colleagues in the wind industry and hope that legislators will see the positive economic development that both solar and wind offer to rural North Carolina.

“That said, we know this landmark energy legislation would not have been possible without the support of Rep. John Szoka and Rep. Dean Arp; we are grateful for their commitment to continuing North Carolina’s solar success story.”

NextEra Energy Resources president and CEO Armando Pimentel also sent a prepared statement:

“As the nation’s leader in wind and solar energy, we believe renewable energy can benefit North Carolina, because we know it benefits communities across America. Renewable energy projects help stimulate economic growth in rural communities and help boost state and local tax revenues. In addition, these projects have direct and indirect economic impacts that help support local small businesses.

“We applaud Governor Cooper’s efforts through the signing of HB 589 to create new opportunities for solar development in the state. We share Governor Cooper’s view that the wind moratorium is unnecessary, appreciate his Executive Order to mitigate its negative consequences and are hopeful that the study of the potential impacts of wind projects on military bases is completed expeditiously. We have successfully sited a number of wind projects near military bases throughout the country, working with local and federal agencies as well as other stakeholders, and are certain that any potential issues or concerns can be resolved quickly to ensure a timely end to the moratorium.”