New River Light and Power Green Power Program Nominated for Cleantech Innovation Award

by Vanessa Nikolic
APPA News
December 1, 2021

North Carolina public power utility New River Light and Power’s (NRLP) Green Power Program has been nominated for a 2021 Cleantech Innovation Award from the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster (RTCC). 

RTCC is an initiative of business, government, and nonprofit leaders focused on advancing the growth of the regional and statewide clean technology (cleantech) economy. 

With its Third Annual Cleantech Innovation Awards, RTCC aims to recognize the contributions of the companies, organizations, and individuals that have advanced cleantech solutions across North Carolina. The awards are judged by leaders from the cleantech industry and public sectors. 

NRLP’s Green Power Program is nominated under the Cleantech Impact: Energy category which recognizes an energy project that applies cleantech to create positive impacts for the environment, economy, and residents. Projects may include innovations to existing grid infrastructure to enhance resiliency, renewable energy installations, microgrid deployments, or innovative energy efficiency programs.

The Green Power Program provides residential and commercial customers with the opportunity to purchase clean energy. NRLP customers can choose to purchase blocks of hydroelectric power to offset their monthly carbon-based electric use. Each block costs $5 and represents 250 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy. 

NRLP launched the program and made it available to customers at the beginning of August 2021. Prior to its launch, plans to offer the program were in the works for a number of years as customers became more interested in renewable energy. 

The utility conducts customer surveys every three years through ElectriCities of North Carolina. NRLP’s 2020 customer survey found that 65% of its residential customers indicated they would be willing to pay an additional $5 on their monthly bill to obtain 30% of their electricity from renewable sources.  

NRLP public communications specialist Chris Nault said the nomination recognizes and supports the utility’s commitments to providing clean energy and outstanding service to its customers and the community.

“This nomination for a 2021 Cleantech Innovation Award is an honor for NRLP and App State,” Nault said. “It is great to know that our hard work and service to our customers is being recognized by an organization like the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster.” 

The winners in each category will be announced at an awards ceremony on Wednesday, December 8 in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

For a complete list of nominees, visit https://www.researchtrianglecleantech.org/cleantechawards2021. 

NRLP was previously nominated for a 2019 Cleantech Innovation Award for Grid Innovation related to the deployment of technology on its electric grid. Additional details on the 2019 nomination can be found here.

NRLP is an electric utility, owned by Appalachian State University, that serves nearly 9,000 residential and commercial customers in Boone, North Carolina and the surrounding community. The Green Power Program is made possible through NRLP’s new wholesale power agreement with Carolina Power Partners, effective January 2022. 

The NRLP Green Power Program is a component of Appalachian State University’s commitment to reduce its use of fossil fuels and provide an option for NRLP customers to do the same.