At a recent Women in Energy panel at Duke University, clean energy professionals expressed optimism about innovation and job growth but acknowledged the challenges ahead.

“We’re in a time of transition, and that means there’s opportunity, but also real challenges,” said Scarlett Harrod, a clean energy strategist at Net Power. “Energy demand is rising. We need to modernize the grid, invest in new technologies, and make sure policies keep up with what the market is already driving.”

Federal spending freezes put clean energy investments at risk

A recent analysis from congressional Democrats found that North Carolina could lose more than $1.3 billion in clean energy funding due to a spending freeze ordered by President Donald Trump. The funds, originally approved by Congress, were intended to support renewable energy expansion, grid resilience, and programs to help residents lower their electricity costs.

Some of the funding at stake includes:

• $209 million in home energy rebates to help families reduce energy bills.

• $90 million in weatherization assistance for low-income households.
• $160 million to protect the power grid from hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters.

• $723 million in incentives for lithium battery manufacturing, a growing industry in North Carolina.

While a federal judge has blocked portions of the freeze, Trump’s administration has continued to push forward with the cuts.

U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, D-North Carolina, called the funding halt a direct attack on North Carolina’s economy.

“Our state is leading in offshore wind, battery storage, and solar energy,” Ross said. “Halting these investments threatens good-paying jobs and makes it harder for families to manage their energy costs."

North Carolina’s clean energy sector has been a key driver of economic growth, creating more than 175,000 jobs and bringing in $20 billion in private and public investment. Industry leaders warn that even temporary disruptions in funding could slow that momentum.

State-level rollbacks could reshape North Carolina’s energy future

At the state level, lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 261, a proposal that would roll back Duke Energy’s 2030 carbon reduction goal. The bill, backed by Republican legislative leaders, including former Duke Energy North Carolina President Sen. Paul Newton, would remove the requirement for a 70% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, leaving only a broader 2050 target in place.

The bill would also allow Duke and other utilities to charge customers for new natural gas and nuclear plants while they are still under construction—a financing mechanism that has led to multi-billion-dollar losses for ratepayers in other states when projects were delayed or abandoned.

“When utility companies are forced to initiate expensive, short-term solutions, North Carolinians have to pay the price,” Newton said. “Removing the interim carbon reduction goal will help keep electric rates stable and affordable.”

However, clean energy advocates warn that delaying emissions cuts could lock in long-term fossil fuel reliance and slow investment in renewables.

“We should be focused on ensuring our energy sources will meet carbon reduction requirements while remaining reliable and affordable,” said state Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, in a statement.

But clean energy industry leaders say the bill could limit investment in solar and battery storage  –   technologies that are now the cheapest new sources of power in North Carolina.

“We need to be looking forward,” said Harrod. “Every year, the costs of renewable energy and storage get cheaper, while fossil fuels remain volatile. The companies investing in North Carolina’s clean energy future are watching closely.”

Trump administration pushes coal, blocks offshore wind

Beyond the funding freezes, the Trump administration has signaled a renewed push for coal-fired power.

“After years of being held captive by environmental extremists, lunatics, radicals, and thugs … I am authorizing my administration to immediately begin producing energy with beautiful, clean coal,” Trump wrote in a social media post this week.

The administration has also announced plans to weaken air pollution regulations on coal plants and halt new offshore wind projects, a move that could stall a growing industry in North Carolina.

“His order to halt offshore wind energy permitting will have serious consequences for North Carolina’s economy,” Ross said.

Industry experts say that, despite these political shifts, the economics of clean energy will continue to drive growth.

“Solar is the cheapest source of new electricity, and companies have already made massive investments,” said Candise Henry, an energy policy expert at RTI International. “Even with political headwinds, the industry will keep growing.”

Link to full article: https://www.wral.com/news/local/north-carolina-clean-energy-future-growth-uncertainty-political-shifts-2025/