Cooperative members across North Carolina are increasingly interested in harnessing the power of the sun to power their homes and businesses. Edgecombe-Martin County EMC is responding to the changing needs of our members, and we are working to incorporate renewable energy sources to our energy mix while also keeping costs as low as possible.
We’ve been planning for a brighter, more sustainable future for a long time. We’ve spent the past decade reducing our dependence on carbon-intensive power generation, and as a result, our current fuel mix is more than 60 percent carbon free. Coal-fired generation makes up less than 5 percent of our portfolio, compared with the national average of 13 percent.
More than half of our power comes from emissions-free nuclear generation, an extremely reliable, safe and affordable source of electricity. Our early investment in nuclear energy has allowed electric cooperative members and communities to benefit from the lowest carbon electricity in the Southeast. In addition, we are increasingly integrating renewables into our already diverse array of power sources as new technology, such as battery storage, makes renewable energy a more accessible option.
Looking to the decade ahead and beyond, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives remain focused on providing electricity that is reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible.
Whether you’re just getting started or have thoroughly researched solar energy, give our Specialists a call (252-823-2171) for a free home energy assessment and to review your energy–savings goals before committing to a solar contract.
Unfortunately, we’ve seen instances in our community where members have been misled and misinformed because of inaccurate information. We’re here to be your energy partner throughout the process, helping you to arrive at a decision right for your home and personal goals.
Another thing we always recommend is to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Amore efficient home stretches your energy dollar further, and you’ll recover the expense of your solar investment more quickly.
Depending upon the size and efficiency of your system and home, most homeowners see savings on their electric bill. Some solar companies make claims that you’ll never have to pay an electric bill again, and we caution this is simply not true. Your home requires electricity even if the sun is shining, including at night and on cloudy days, which means you will continue to draw electricity from the grid and be billed monthly based on your home energy use and any basic facilities charges.
Edgecombe-Martin County EMC members with home solar are still connected to the grid. Because we are an at-cost, not-for-profit cooperative energy provider, standard charges that all members pay to ensure there liability and safety of the electric grid for all will stay on your bill, no matter how much energy your home may produce. Without this structure, grid costs would unintentionally be shifted to members for whom home solar is out of reach for financial, geographic or other reasons.
This is a common question and a concept often clouded by misinformation. The best thing you can do is contact us, and one of our Specialists will help you determine if solar is the right fit for meeting your financial goals. Each of North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives is independent and governed locally by an elected board of directors, which is responsible for setting and reviewing policies. This means our policies may differ from our neighboring co-ops because of our local circumstances and needs.
At Edgecombe-Martin County EMC, we compensate our members for their contributions at what is called “avoided cost”–or a price in line with what we pay for wholesale power before infrastructure and operational costs. Compensating our members for excess solar energy at “avoided cost” ensures they earn a fair price for what they produce while also paying for the infrastructure still utilized by the home.
Bottom line–Because policies vary, we encourage you to please contact us to make sure you have all the facts before purchasing solar installation. Solar installation companies may not be familiar with our co-op’s policies, and we don’t want anyone to enter into an agreement with misinformation.
Yes! We have solar calculators below. Please keep in mind this is an estimate only; you will have a more accurate financial picture by working with us and a professional solar installation company.
Yes! We support all energy solutions that are a fit for our members, uphold the safety and reliability of our grid and improve the diversity of our resources while also ensuring that costs are not shifted to members without home solar panels. Our nation’s electric grid is shifting from a model where large, centrally located generating plants produce power and push it to the far corners of the grid to a model that incorporates more distributed energy resources and technologies, like home solar. This is an exciting time in our industry, and we want our members to make a choice that is right for them. If your choice leads you to solar installation, we ask that you please let us know and work with us so you can make informed decisions and incorporate your new installation into our plans for managing electric traffic across our grid.