As per Duke Energy's newly posted Sustainability Report, its renewable energy portfolio grew by 20% last year.
Image: Duke Energy's renewable assets. Photo: Courtesy of Duke Energy Corporation.
One of the company’s sustainability goals is to own, or have under contract, 8GW of wind, solar and biomass capacity by 2020. Over the past year, the company has made strong progress toward that goal, growing its renewable energy capacity from 5.4GW to more than 6.4GW, which can power more than 1 million homes at peak production.
Combining nuclear, renewables and hydroelectric power, about 40 percent of Duke Energy’s electric generation puts out no greenhouse emissions.
Duke Energy Foundation senior vice president, stakeholder strategy and sustainability and president Cari Boyce said: “Duke Energy continues to invest in cleaner energy, shifting from coal to natural gas with a greater reliance on renewable energy, reducing our environmental footprint and modernizing our energy grid to support new customer-focused technology.”
Solar power currently makes up 52% of the company’s 6.4GW of renewable capacity, while wind represents 38% and biomass makes up 10%.
In addition to its growing renewable energy portfolio, the company continues to rely on two other “zero greenhouse gas” sources: more than 8.8GW of nuclear capacity and 3.5GW of hydroelectric and pumped storage hydro.
In its 12th year, Duke Energy’s Sustainability Report provides details of the company’s performance in four key areas – customers, growth, operations and employees. The report also tracks the company’s progress on other sustainability goals and programs, such as:
The company’s carbon dioxide emissions continue to drop – down 31% from 2005 levels, with a 40% goal by 2030.
Duke Energy continues to deliver value to customers, with a price per kilowatt-hour of electricity remaining lower than the national average in all six states the company serves retail electric customers.
The company has met its goal to recycle 80% of its solid waste a year early.
Duke Energy remains an industry leader and at the top of its peer group in employee safety, with the company’s safety metrics continuing to improve.
In 2017, employees and retirees volunteered more than 115,000 hours in the community. May 1 marks the start of Duke Energy In Action Month, an annual initiative to galvanize employees around community service.
Duke Energy has a long history of being recognized as one of the top sustainable companies in the industry. For 12 straight years, Duke Energy has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index of companies for North America.
Source: Company Press Release