Progress Energy Emits 54M Tons of CO2 in 2008

Progress Energy emitted 54 million tons of CO2 in 2008, down from about 58 million tons in 2007, according to its third annual corporate responsibility report.

Here are some highlights from the report.

• 1 million megawatt-hours of electricity purchased from renewable energy sources
• More than 2 million gallons of water conserved in the corporate offices;
• Completion of emission-control equipment installation on its largest coal-fired unit;
• The company has seen the number of Notice of Violation for environmental infractions fall, in general terms, from 17 notices in 2003 to 9 in 2008.

Progress operates its business in two units, to comply with existing regional and state regulations. Progress Energy Carolinas aims to comply with the North Carolina Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard, which was enacted in 2007 and mandates that utilities derive 3 percent of energy from renewables by 2012, and 12.5 percent by 2021.

Exceeding compliance of the N.C. standard, Progress Energy Carolinas says it may meet up to 25 percent of the renewable requirement with energy-efficiency measures through 2020, and up to 40 percent after that.

Here is how Progress Energy is adding renewable energy.

• 1 MW in solar from SAS Inc., in Cary, N.C.
• 1 MW in solar from SunEdison, installed at Progress Energy's Sutton Plant in Wilmington, N.C.
• Almost 2 MW in solar from planned facilities in Person and Haywood counties, N.C.
• 50 MW wood biomass from Peregrine Energy in Hartsville, S.C.
• 25 MW wood biomass from Coastal Carolina Clean Power in Kenansville, N.C.
• 4 MW landfill natural gas from Ingenco in New Bern, N.C.
• Various small hydroelectric projects within PEC's service territory.

A complete list of Progress Energy's solar efforts is here.

Progress Energy's Toxics Release Inventory can be found here.

Progress Energy Floridas, its second business unit, received a grant in 2008 from the Florida Energy Office to install and test small-scale wind-power technologies at five locations, with the initial micro-turbine scheduled to be installed in 2009 at a turnpike service plaza in Okahumpka, Fla.

Other Florida initiatives involve water conservation.

The company's Hines Energy Complex uses treated wastewater from Bartow, Fla., as makeup supply to the plant's cooling pond. The plant also uses a water-cropping system across the 8,000-acre site to capture, store, manage and use stormwater to add to the cooling pond. Since December 2002, Progress Energy Floridas has partnered with Volusia County, Fla., to transfer wastewater from its DeBary Plant to the county's reclaimed water system. The water eventually is used at golf courses, parks and schools.