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Campus Life

New Name for Solar Center

The North Carolina Solar Center has outgrown the sun.

And that’s why, after using that name for more than a quarter century, NC State’s center for developing newer alternative energy sources has been rebranded as the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, reflecting an ever-expanding mission that goes well beyond just harvesting energy from the sun.

That was the extent of the center’s mission when it was opened, but over the last dozen years, it has established a national and international reputation in the broadening fields of wind and biomass energy, distributed generation systems, clean transportation technologies and smart-grid and green-building technologies.

Over the years, the center also has recognized the need to include energy policy and economic development programs for one of the nation’s leading states in alternative energy sources.

North Carolina supports more than 15,000 direct jobs at more than 1,000 companies in the clean energy sector. It is the only state in the southeast with a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard. It is known internationally for having the largest smart grid industry cluster in the United States and is ranked fifth in the nation for clean energy development and second for solar capacity.

The N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center helps the state’s businesses, policymakers and organizations develop clean energy technology and policy initiatives. To promote economic development, the center assists businesses by providing information on state regulatory and tax policies, and serves as a connector for other resources. The center also consults with citizens, local governments and organizations to provide clean technology implementation strategies.