A partnership between Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC), North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation and the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) is helping the state work toward sustainability goals set forth by Gov. Cooper’s Executive Orders 80 and 246.
Recently, BEMC and NCDAC, alongside NCDAC’s energy services contractor Schneider Electric, broke ground on a 500 kilowatt (kW) solar energy project at Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City, NC. According to NCDAC, the new 500 kW solar array is one of several major energy improvement efforts underway at NCDAC facilities aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency.
Working together to reach sustainability goals
“This project is a testament to the power of collaboration,” said Josh Winslow, chief executive officer at BEMC. “By listening to the needs of the members we serve and engaging with partners, we are delivering a solution that can be a new model for solar energy in North Carolina government.”
This project is part of a larger Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contract, that NCDAC says will pave the way for increased energy efficiency in the state’s public infrastructure. The contract includes innovative energy efficiency projects at six correctional facilities statewide.
“This is a landmark moment for our state,” said Todd Ishee, secretary of the NCDAC. “We are leading the way in sustainable energy practices in government operations and laying the foundation for a more energy-efficient future.”
Energy innovation partnerships, like the Tabor Correctional solar facility are part of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives’ efforts to power a brighter future for member-consumers and the communities they serve.
“The unique part of cooperatives is being rooted in the community and being aware of members’ needs, whether it’s a residential member, a school, farming operation, or, in this case, a prison,” said Lee Ragsdale, senior vice president of energy delivery at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “Our microgrid projects were born out of these kinds of collaborative partnerships, and today, we’re proud that cooperatives, like Brunswick Electric, are leading the way in innovative energy solutions that benefit the communities we serve.”