North Carolina Quick Facts
- In 2023, North Carolina ranked fourth in the nation in solar generating capacity, with nearly 6,600 megawatts, and fifth in total solar power generation.
- North Carolina ranks among the bottom one-third of states with the lowest natural gas use per capita, even though natural gas use for electricity generation in the state has more than doubled in the past decade.
- In 2023, North Carolina ranked among the five states producing the most electricity from nuclear power, which accounted for 33% of the state's net generation.
- In 2023, North Carolina was among the 10 states with the highest petroleum use. Additionally, North Carolina drivers' total annual expenditure for gasoline and total motor garoline consumption are among the top five states.
- North Carolina ranks among the 10 states with the highest electricity consumption and ranks fourth for residential sector electricity use.
Last Updated: February 20, 2025
Data
Last Update: April 17, 2025 | Next Update: May 15, 2025
| Prices | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | North Carolina | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase | -- | $ 73.08 /barrel | Jan-25 | ||
| Natural Gas | North Carolina | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| City Gate | NA | $ 4.88 /thousand cu ft | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Residential | NA | $ 12.34 /thousand cu ft | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Coal | North Carolina | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| Average Sales Price | -- | $ 54.04 /short ton | 2023 | ||
| Delivered to Electric Power Sector | $ 4.44 /million Btu | $ 2.40 /million Btu | Jan-25 | ||
| Electricity | North Carolina | U.S. Average | Period | find more | |
| Residential | 12.47 cents/kWh | 15.95 cents/kWh | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Commercial | 9.94 cents/kWh | 12.89 cents/kWh | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Industrial | 8.07 cents/kWh | 8.32 cents/kWh | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Reserves | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reserves | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Crude Oil (as of Dec. 31) | -- | -- | 2022 | find more | |
| Expected Future Production of Dry Natural Gas (as of Dec. 31) | -- | -- | 2022 | find more | |
| Expected Future Production of Natural Gas Plant Liquids | -- | -- | 2022 | find more | |
| Recoverable Coal at Producing Mines | -- | -- | 2023 | find more | |
| Rotary Rigs & Wells | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Natural Gas Producing Wells | -- | -- | 2020 | find more | |
| Capacity | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Crude Oil Refinery Capacity (as of Jan. 1) | 0 barrels/calendar day | 0.0% | 2024 | ||
| Electric Power Industry Net Summer Capacity | 36,282 MW | 2.9% | Jan-25 | ||
| Supply & Distribution | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Total Energy | 626 trillion Btu | 0.6% | 2022 | find more | |
| Crude Oil | -- | -- | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Natural Gas - Marketed | -- | -- | 2023 | find more | |
| Coal | -- | -- | 2023 | find more | |
| Total Utility-Scale Net Electricity Generation | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Total Net Electricity Generation | 13,976 thousand MWh | 3.5% | Jan-25 | ||
| Utility-Scale Net Electricity Generation (share of total) | North Carolina | U.S. Average | Period | ||
| Petroleum-Fired | NM | 0.7 % | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Natural Gas-Fired | 37.8 % | 39.0 % | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Coal-Fired | 24.2 % | 20.7 % | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Nuclear | 27.9 % | 17.9 % | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Renewables | 9.6 % | 21.3 % | Jan-25 | ||
| Stocks | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Motor Gasoline (Excludes Pipelines) | 49 thousand barrels | 0.4% | Jan-25 | ||
| Distillate Fuel Oil (Excludes Pipelines) | 697 thousand barrels | 0.8% | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Natural Gas in Underground Storage | -- | -- | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Petroleum Stocks at Electric Power Producers | 1,131 thousand barrels | 5.6% | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Coal Stocks at Electric Power Producers | 3,243 thousand tons | 2.9% | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Fueling Stations | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Motor Gasoline | 4,270 stations | 3.9% | 2022 | ||
| Propane | 55 stations | 2.2% | Mar-25 | ||
| Electric Vehicle Charging Locations | 1,781 stations | 2.5% | Mar-25 | ||
| E85 | 95 stations | 2.1% | Mar-25 | ||
| Biodiesel, Compressed Natural Gas, and Other Alternative Fuels | 25 stations | 0.7% | Mar-25 | ||
| Consumption & Expenditures | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | North Carolina | U.S. Rank | Period | ||
| Total Consumption | 2,569 trillion Btu | 12 | 2022 | find more | |
| Total Consumption per Capita | 240 million Btu | 35 | 2022 | find more | |
| Total Expenditures | $ 46,021 million | 10 | 2022 | find more | |
| Total Expenditures per Capita | $ 4,303 | 47 | 2022 | find more | |
| by End-Use Sector | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Consumption | |||||
| » Residential | 673 trillion Btu | 3.4% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Commercial | 558 trillion Btu | 3.4% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Industrial | 534 trillion Btu | 1.7% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Transportation | 807 trillion Btu | 2.9% | 2022 | find more | |
| Expenditures | |||||
| » Residential | $ 9,321 million | 2.8% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Commercial | $ 6,427 million | 2.6% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Industrial | $ 5,254 million | 1.8% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Transportation | $ 25,019 million | 2.9% | 2022 | find more | |
| by Source | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | ||
| Consumption | |||||
| » Petroleum | 182 million barrels | 2.5% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Natural Gas | 642 billion cu ft | 2.0% | 2023 | find more | |
| » Coal | 6,115 thousand short tons | 1.4% | 2023 | find more | |
| Expenditures | |||||
| » Petroleum | $ 29,314 million | 2.8% | 2022 | find more | |
| » Natural Gas | $ 4,723 million | 2.3% | 2023 | find more | |
| » Coal | $ 735 million | 3.1% | 2023 | find more | |
| Consumption for Electricity Generation | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Petroleum | NM | NM | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Natural Gas | 38,998 million cu ft | 3.4% | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Coal | 1,296 thousand tons | 2.8% | Jan-25 | find more | |
| Energy Source Used for Home Heating (share of households) | North Carolina | U.S. Average | Period | ||
| Natural Gas | 24.1 % | 46.0 % | 2023 | ||
| Fuel Oil | 1.8 % | 3.7 % | 2023 | ||
| Electricity | 65.9 % | 41.7 % | 2023 | ||
| Propane | 6.0 % | 5.0 % | 2023 | ||
| Other/None | 2.2 % | 3.5 % | 2023 | ||
| Environment | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renewable Energy Capacity | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Total Renewable Energy Electricity Net Summer Capacity | 9,549 MW | 2.6% | Jan-25 | ||
| Ethanol Plant Nameplate Capacity | 0 million gal/year | 0.0% | 2024 | ||
| Renewable Energy Production | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Utility-Scale Hydroelectric Net Electricity Generation | 346 thousand MWh | 1.6% | Jan-25 | ||
| Utility-Scale Solar, Wind, and Geothermal Net Electricity Generation | 863 thousand MWh | 1.4% | Jan-25 | ||
| Utility-Scale Biomass Net Electricity Generation | 132 thousand MWh | 3.3% | Jan-25 | ||
| Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Generation | 66 thousand MWh | 1.2% | Jan-25 | ||
| Fuel Ethanol Production | 0 thousand barrels | 0.0% | 2022 | ||
| Renewable Energy Consumption | North Carolina | U.S. Rank | Period | find more | |
| Renewable Energy Consumption as a Share of State Total | 7.5 % | 27 | 2022 | ||
| Fuel Ethanol Consumption | 11,781 thousand barrels | 5 | 2022 | ||
| Total Emissions | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Carbon Dioxide | 116.6 million metric tons | 2.4% | 2022 | ||
| Electric Power Industry Emissions | North Carolina | Share of U.S. | Period | find more | |
| Carbon Dioxide | 36,765 thousand metric tons | 2.4% | 2023 | ||
| Sulfur Dioxide | 18 thousand metric tons | 2.1% | 2023 | ||
| Nitrogen Oxide | 36 thousand metric tons | 3.2% | 2023 | ||
Analysis
Last Updated: February 20, 2025
Overview
North Carolina rises from its Atlantic Ocean coastline to the highest peak east of the Mississippi River—Mount Mitchell, which stands more than a mile above sea level at 6,684 feet.1,2 The state is divided into three distinct geographic regions, the Coastal Plain along the southeastern coast, the Piedmont region in the center, and the Appalachian Mountains in the west.3 The Appalachian Mountains block cold air and the state has a humid climate with warm summers and moderate winters.4 North Carolina has substantial renewable energy resources.5,6 Its solar resources help make the state a leader in solar power.7 Strong offshore winds along the state's Atlantic coast could provide energy for electricity generation.8 The nearly 19 million acres of woodlands that cover about three-fifths of the state provide a large biomass resource and employment for about 74,000 people who work in North Carolina's forestry and forest products industries.9,10,11 Rivers that flow through the state provide hydroelectric power to many communities.12,13 North Carolina has few fossil fuel reserves and does not have any oil, natural gas, or coal production.14 In addition to its natural resources, North Carolina is one of the nation's leading nuclear power-producing states.15
North Carolina consumes four times more energy than it produces.16 However, total energy consumption per capita is among the lowest one-third of the states.17,18 The residents, tourists, and truckers who use motor gasoline and diesel fuel on the state's heavily traveled highway system and the jet fuel consumed at the busy Charlotte Douglas International Airport—one of the top 10 U.S. airports as ranked by passenger traffic—make the transportation sector North Carolina's largest end-use energy-consumer, accounting for three-tenths of the state's total energy consumption.19,20,21,22 The residential sector follows the transportation sector, accounting for slightly more than one-fourth of state energy use. The commercial and industrial sectors each make up about one-fifth of North Carolina's energy consumption.23
North Carolina is the top U.S. producer of tobacco, sweet potatoes, and poultry and eggs, making agriculture one of the state's major industries.24 The state's other key industries include: business and financial services; aerospace; auto and truck manufacturing; biotechnology and pharmaceuticals; food processing; furniture manufacturing; information technology; plastics and chemicals; and textiles.25 About 13% of the state's GDP comes from manufacturing, with key industries being the energy-intensive chemicals; food and beverage, and tobacco products industry; computer and electronics products sector; and petroleum and coal products.26
Electricity
North Carolina is the nation’s fifth-largest producer of electricity from nuclear power.
Natural gas and nuclear power provide about three-fourths of North Carolina's total net generation. Over the past decade, the contribution of natural gas-fired generation in the state has increased as electric utilities have added natural gas-fired power plants. In 2023, the amount of North Carolina's electricity generated from natural gas accounted for 41% of the state's total generation. North Carolina is the nation's fifth-largest producer of electricity from nuclear power. In 2023, nuclear energy was the state's second-largest fuel source for electricity and provided 33% of the state's net generation. The three largest power plants in North Carolina by generation were nuclear.27,28,29 Natural gas-fired generation exceeded coal-fired generation for the first time in 2016. Before 2012, coal-fired power plants provided more than half of the electricity generated in North Carolina. Since 2012, 31 coal-fired units with about 4,000 megawatts of generating capacity have retired and 30 natural gas-fired units with about 5,400 megawatts of capacity were added. In 2023, the remaining coal-fired power plants provided 11% of the electricity generated in the state. Total solar power accounted for 10% of state generation, and hydroelectric power, biomass, and wind power provided almost all the rest of North Carolina's electricity generation.30,31,32
Even though North Carolina is among the top 10 electricity-producing states in the nation, its consumers use more power than is generated in the state, and additional electricity is supplied from other states over the regional grid.33,34 The residential sector accounts for 44% of the total electricity use in North Carolina.35 Almost 7 out of 10 North Carolina households use electricity for home heating and 9 out of 10 households have air conditioning.36,37 The commercial sector makes up 36% of the state's electricity use and the industrial sector accounts for about 20%.38 North Carolina ranks among the top 10 states in total electricity consumption and ranks fourth for residential sector electricity use.39
In November 2024, North Carolina had nearly 1,700 public-access electric vehicle charging locations, which is 2.5% of the U.S. total.40
Renewable energy
North Carolina ranks fifth in the nation in solar power generation.
In 2023, renewable sources produced about 15% of the total electricity generated in North Carolina, with the sum of utility-scale (1 megawatt or larger) and small-scale (less than 1 megawatt) solar facilities providing the largest share, at about two-thirds of all renewables. The amount of electricity generated from solar energy increased rapidly in recent years. In 2017, solar energy became the largest source of the state's renewable electricity generation, surpassing conventional hydroelectric power for the first time. In 2023, solar power provided about 10% of the state's total generation.41 At the end of 2023, North Carolina ranked fourth in the nation in solar generating capacity, with nearly 6,600 megawatts, and fifth in total solar power generation.42,43
Hydroelectric power is the second-largest source of renewable electricity in North Carolina and accounted for 3% of the state's total generation in 2023.44 Most of North Carolina's 40 utility-scale hydroelectric dams with about 2,000 megawatts of generating capacity are found in the mountainous region in the western part of the state. The state has the first pumped-storage power facility with reversible turbines in the United States, with 86 megawatts of generating capacity, located at the Hiwassee Dam near the border with Tennessee.45,46,47
Biomass provided 1% of North Carolina's generation in 2023. Wood- and wood waste-fueled power plants account for about three-fourths of the generating capacity at the state's biomass-fueled power plants.48 Swine and poultry waste are additional resources for biomass-fueled electricity generation in the state.49,50,51 North Carolina's forest biomass resources also provide feedstock for five wood pellet manufacturing plants in the state that can produce 2.1 million tons of pellets each year.52 Wood pellets are used for heating and for electricity generation and 1 in 100 North Carolina households heat with wood.53,54
Wind energy has provided utility-scale power generation in North Carolina since 2016, when the state's first, and still only, wind farm came online in the northeastern part of the state with 208 megawatts of generating capacity from 104 turbines. It was the first coastal wind farm in the Southeast.55,56,57 In 2023, wind energy supplied 0.4% of North Carolina's electricity.58 The state has more undeveloped wind resources offshore and in its far western mountains.59 North Carolina's governor issued an executive order in 2021 that sets a goal for the state to have 2,800 megawatts of offshore wind power generating capacity by 2030 and 8,000 megawatts by 2040.60 In May 2022, the U.S. Department of the Interior leased two areas for wind power development in federal waters located about 25 miles off the North Carolina coastline near the border with South Carolina, known as the Carolina Long Bay lease.61 However, In January 2025, the federal government temporarily withdrew all federal offshore areas from leasing for wind energy development.62
North Carolina has one operating ethanol plant and one biodiesel plant. The ethanol plant has a production capacity of about 60 million gallons per year but is currently offline undergoing modifications and is scheduled to be operational by 2026. The biodiesel plant's production capacity is 2 million gallons.63,64,65 Although almost all the motor gasoline sold in the nation is E10 fuel, which is a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, a motor fuel mixture containing up to 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, known as E85, is sold at 94 public stations in North Carolina.66,67 Biodiesel is available at 108 private refueling stations across North Carolina that provide fuel to government and private fleets.68 North Carolina accounts for about 4% of U.S. ethanol consumption and about 1% of biodiesel consumption.69
In 2007, North Carolina became the first state in the Southeast to adopt a renewable portfolio standard, which required investor-owned electric utilities in the state to have 12.5% of their electricity retail sales come from renewable energy sources by 2021. That requirement was met. Rural electric cooperatives and municipal electric suppliers also met their target of obtaining 10% of their electricity sales from renewable sources by 2018. Additionally, the standard set statewide targets for increasing electricity generation from burning methane derived from swine and poultry waste for all power providers.70,71
North Carolina's governor signed clean energy legislation into law in October 2021 that will close some of the state's coal-fired power plants by 2030 and replace them with new generation from renewable sources. Under the law, the state's carbon emissions from electric generating facilities will be reduced 70% by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.72,73
Petroleum
North Carolina does not have any crude oil reserves or production.74,75 More than 125 exploratory oil and natural gas wells have been drilled in the state since 1925, but none of the wells were sufficient for commercial development despite finding traces of crude oil and natural gas in a few of them. Several unexplored areas of the state could have some crude oil, in the outer Coastal Plains region, both onshore and offshore.76,77 However, the federal government has banned offshore oil and natural gas drilling on the East and West coasts, which includes the North Carolina shoreline.78 North Carolina does not have any petroleum refineries, but the state does have two major petroleum product pipelines-the Colonial Pipeline and the PPL Pipeline-that deliver refined products at several locations in North Carolina on their way to the Northeast from the Gulf Coast.79,80,81,82 A third pipeline-the Dixie Pipeline-supplies propane to customers in seven southeastern states, including North Carolina, before terminating in Apex, North Carolina.83,84 Some petroleum products also arrive in North Carolina at the Port of Wilmington.85
The transportation sector accounts for 84% of the petroleum consumed in North Carolina.
North Carolina ranks among the 10 states with the highest total petroleum use.86 The transportation sector uses 84% of the petroleum consumed in North Carolina, primarily as motor gasoline and diesel fuel.87,88 No federal regulations currently restrict the use of conventional motor gasoline in the state, although most gasoline sold in the state contains at least 10% ethanol.89,90 North Carolina drivers' total annual expenditure for gasoline and total motor gasoline consumption are among the top five states.91,92 The industrial sector is the second-largest consumer of petroleum in North Carolina at about 7% of the state total, followed by the commercial sector at 5% and residential sector at 3%.93 About 1 in 12 North Carolina households use propane, fuel oil, or kerosene for home heating.94 The electric power sector also uses a small amount of petroleum as fuel for electricity generation.95
Natural gas
North Carolina does not have any economically recoverable natural gas reserves or production.96,97 Although commercial quantities of natural gas have not been found in North Carolina, shale in the geologic basins located in the center of the state may contain natural gas resources.98
Interstate pipelines supply the natural gas North Carolina uses. Natural gas enters the state from the south through South Carolina and from the north through Virginia.99 The amount delivered through Virginia has more than doubled since 2017 as more gas produced from the Marcellus and Utica Shales further north arrives in the state.100,101 Additional interstate pipelines are in development that will increase deliveries of Marcellus and Utica natural gas to North Carolina.102,103
North Carolina ranks among the bottom one-third of states with the lowest per capita natural gas consumption.
North Carolina ranks among the bottom one-third of states for natural gas use per capita, in part because of its generally mild climate.104,105 Natural gas use for electricity generation in the state has more than doubled in the past decade.106 The electric power sector is the state's largest natural gas consumer and accounted for nearly two-thirds of the natural gas delivered to end-users in 2023. The industrial sector led state consumption until 2012, when the electric power sector became the largest natural gas user for the first time. In 2023, the industrial sector accounted for about one-fifth of the state's total natural gas use. The residential sector, where one out of four North Carolina households use natural gas for home heating, accounted for about one-tenth of state natural gas use, followed by the commercial sector at one-twelfth. The state's transportation sector uses a small amount of natural gas as vehicle fuel.107,108
Coal
North Carolina has a small amount of economically recoverable coal reserves but no commercial coal production.109,110 The Deep River coalfield in central North Carolina is the only area in the state known to have coal. Bituminous coal was produced from that field intermittently from 1854 to 1953. Production in the Deep River area ceased because the remaining coal is deeply buried, and the coalbeds are broken by many geologic faults. More than 110 million tons of coal are estimated to exist in that area, but less than half of the coal might ever be mined due to difficult geology.111
Fuel-grade peat deposits, averaging about 5 feet thick, cover almost 680,000 acres of coastal North Carolina. Peat consists of partially decomposed plant debris and is an early stage in the development of coal. About 500 million tons of moisture-free peat can be found in the state, but to date North Carolina peat has been used only in agricultural products, not for energy. Most of the state's peat is found in coastal swamps and other environmentally sensitive areas.112,113
Almost all the coal consumed in North Carolina is used for electricity generation. Most of the coal delivered to the state's three coal-fired power plants is transported by rail from states east of the Mississippi River, primarily Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with smaller amounts coming from Indiana and Kentucky. The 120-megawatt Allen power plant that had been in operation since 1957 was shut down in December 2024. The site will be converted into a 50-megawatt battery energy storage facility scheduled to come online in 2025, with a capacity to supply 50,000 homes with four hours of electricity. A small amount of coal is also consumed by the industrial and commercial sectors.114,115,116,117
Endnotes
1 Visit North Carolina, Crystal Coast, accessed January 30, 2025.
2 North Carolina State Parks, Mount Mitchell State Park, accessed January 7, 2025.
3 James, Tracey, "What are the three areas of NC?," NCESC.COM, updated June 24, 2024.
4 North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State Climate Summaries 2022, North Carolina.
5 U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), North Carolina Profile Data, Environment, accessed January 7, 2025.
6 U.S. EIA, Renewable Electricity Infrastructure and Resources Dashboard, Filter by State: North Carolina, accessed January 7, 2025.
7 U.S.EIA, Electric Power Annual (October 17, 2024), Table 3.21, Net Generation from Solar Photovoltaic by State by Sector.
8 U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, WINDExchange, Wind Energy in North Carolina, Maps & Data, accessed January 7, 2025.
9 North Carolina Forestry Association, Members, accessed January 30, 2025.
10 NC State Extension, Publications, Economics of Harvesting Woody Biomass in North Carolina, updated August 19, 2020.
11 NC State Extension, Publications, Economic Contribution of the Forest Sector in North Carolina, 2022.
12 Geology.com, North Carolina Lakes, Rivers and Water Resources, accessed January 7, 2025.
13 Ingram, Elizabeth, "Hydroelectric power remains a vital renewable resource in North Carolina," Hydro Review (August 22, 2022).
14 U.S. EIA, North Carolina Profile Data, Reserves, and Supply & Distribution, accessed January 7, 2025.
15 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Electric Power Annual (October 17, 2024), Table 3.13, Net Generation from Nuclear Energy by State by Sector.
16 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table P3, Total Primary Energy Production and Total Energy Consumption Estimates in Trillion Btu, 2022.
17 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C14, Total Energy Consumption Estimates per Capita by End-Use Sector, Ranked by State, 2022.
18 U.S. Census, State Population Totals and Components of Change: 2010-2024, December 2024, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the Unites States Regions, States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024 (XLS).
19 U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, National Highway System: North Carolina, updated September 30, 2020.
20 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C1, Energy Consumption Overview: Estimates by Energy Source and End-Use Sector, 2022.
21 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C3, Primary Energy Consumption Estimates, 2022.
22 Federal Aviation Administration, CY 2023 Passenger Boarding Data, Enplanements at All Commercial Service Airports by Rank.
23 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C1, Energy Consumption Overview: Estimates by Energy Source and End-Use Sector, 2022.
24 U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2023 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics, p. 9.
25 Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Industries, accessed January 10, 2025.
26 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Interactive Data Tables, Regional Tables, GDP and Personal Income, Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State, SAGDP2 GDP in current dollars, North Carolina, All statistics in table, 2023.
27 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
28 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Electric Power Annual (October 17, 2024), Table 3.13, Utility-Scale Facility Net Generation from Nuclear Energy.
29 U.S. EIA, Electricity, North Carolina Electricity Profile 2023, Table 2B, Ten largest plants by generation, 2023.
30 U.S. EIA, Electricity, North Carolina Electricity Profile 2023, Table 5, Electric power industry generation by primary energy source, 1990 through 2023.
31 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of December 2024, Plant State: North Carolina, Technology: All; Inventory of Retired Generators as of December 2024, Plant State: North Carolina, Technology: All.
32 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
33 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Electric Power Annual (October 17, 2024), Table 3.7, Utility Scale Facility Net Generation.
34 U.S. EIA, Electricity, North Carolina Electricity Profile 2023, Table 10, Supply and Disposition of Electricity, 1990 through 2023.
35 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Retail sales of electricity (million kilowatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
36 U.S. Census Bureau, Tables, Table B25040, House Heating Fuel, North Carolina, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
37 U.S. EIA, Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS), 2020 RECS Survey Data, State Data, Housing characteristics, Highlights for air conditioning in U.S. homes by state, 2020.
38 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Retail sales of electricity (million kilowatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
39 U.S. EIA, State Energy Data System, Table C17, Electricity Sales to Ultimate Customers, Total and Residential, Total and per Capita, Ranked by State, 2022.
40 U.S. EIA, Total Energy, Monthly Energy Review (December 2024), Appendix F monthly state file, XLS, Public Ports only and Public & Private Ports combined.
41 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
42 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Electric Power Annual (October 17, 2024), Table 4.7.B, Net Summer Capacity Using Primarily Renewable Energy Sources and by State, 2023 and 2022 (Megawatts).
43 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Electric Power Annual (October 17, 2024), Table 3.21, Net Generation from Solar Photovoltaic, Table 3.22, Utility Scale Facility Net Generation from Solar Thermal.
44 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
45 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of December 2024, Plant State: North Carolina, Technology: Conventional Hydroelectric, Hydroelectric Pumped Storage.
46 U.S. EIA, Renewable Electricity Infrastructure and Resources Dashboard, Filter by State: North Carolina, Filter by Primary Energy Source: Hydroelectric, Hydro - Pumped Storage, accessed January 13, 2025.
47 The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Engineering History, Landmarks, #67 Hiwassee Dam Unit 2 Reversible Pump-Turbine, accessed January 13, 2025.
48 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
49 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of December 2024, Plant State: North Carolina, Technology: Landfill Gas, Wood/Wood Waste Biomass, Other Waste Biomass.
50 "The Carolina Poultry Power Project Fuels Our Electricity and Our Economy," NC Clean Energy Technology Center (September 23, 2021).
51 "North Carolina farms were properly approved to collect energy from hog waste, court says," Associated Press (December 5, 2023).
52 U.S. EIA, Monthly Densified Biomass Fuel Report, Table 1, Densified biomass fuel manufacturing facilities in the United States by state, region, and capacity, October 2024.
53 U.S. EIA, "New EIA survey collects data on production and sales of wood pellets," Today in Energy (December 14, 2016).
54 U.S. Census Bureau, Tables, Table B25040, House Heating Fuel, North Carolina, 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
55 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
56 U.S. EIA, Electricity, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860), Inventory of Operating Generators as of December 2024, Plant State: North Carolina, Technology: Onshore Wind Turbine.
57 CleanEnergy.org, Amazon Wind Farm North Carolina - Desert Wind, accessed January 13, 2025.
58 U.S. EIA, Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatthours), North Carolina, 2001-23.
59 U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, WINDExchange, Wind Energy in North Carolina, accessed January 13, 2025.
60 Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, North Carolina - Leading the Future of the Wind Energy Industry (March 2024), p. 2.
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Other Resources
Energy-Related Regions and Organizations
- Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD): 1C
- Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and Independent System Operator (ISO): PJM Interconnection (PJM)
- North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) ERO Enterprise: Regional Entities: SERC Reliability Corporation (SERC)
Other Websites
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources
- North Carolina Utilities Commission
- North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Low Income Energy Assistance Program
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Weatherization Assistance Program
- NC Clean Energy Technology Center
- EIA North Carolina Flickr Album
- North Carolina Rural Electrification Authority
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, State Energy Office
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Energy Conservation
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Offshore Wind Development
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Residential and Community Solar
- Southeastern Power Administration
- Southern States Energy Board
- Alternative Fuels Data Center, Federal and State Laws and Incentives
- USA.Gov, Get help with energy bills
- NC Clean Energy Technology Center, Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE)
- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, North Carolina
- National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)
- National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO)
- National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Energy
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Geospatial Data Science Data and Tools
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Publications
- Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC)
- U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Community Services, An Office of the Administration for Children & Families, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Maps
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Energy Flow Charts
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), SLOPE: State and Local Planning for Energy
- EIA Status of U.S. Nuclear Outages
- EIA Natural Gas Storage Dashboard
- EIA Energy Disruptions Maps
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development, Energy Programs
