NC Legislators, Chambers, Businesses Celebrate Clean Energy Innovation

From Greensboro to Kinston, Fayetteville to Raleigh, local chambers, legislators and business leaders gathered this week to celebrate the state’s business and political leaders pioneering innovation in the clean energy space.

NC Rep. Chris Malone (R-35); Jennifer Behr, Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy; Ed White, CEO and founding board member, Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster.

Among the awardees:

• Chris Malone of Wake County, who received the Emerging Champion of Clean Energy award.

• Ed White, CEO and founding board member of Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster, who accepted the Clean Energy Collaborative Innovation Award.

• Schneider Electric, which received the Clean Energy Corporate Champion award, presented by the Knightdale Chamber.

"I sincerely appreciate the recognition from Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy and Conservatives for Clean Energy,” said Rep. Malone. “A clean energy future is one we should all look forward to.”

Ed White, CEO and founding Board member, Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster; Patrice Bayyan, Executive Director, Knightdale Chamber; John Pipel, Schneider Electric; Stephanie Byrd, Schneider Electric; Nathan Ray, Knightdale Chamber Board President.

Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy and Conservatives for Clean Energy cohosted the event, which also featured Rep. John Szoka (R) along with Ben Lowe of Alevo, Gus Simmons of Cavanaugh & Associates, and Will Duckett of PlotWatt.

In addition to celebrating this year’s clean energy innovators, some 75 attendees learned how North Carolina businesses are creating economic development opportunities in their communities through clean energy.

See related media coverage: News & Record.

Battery Plant Brings Jobs to Former Philip Morris Site

Five years ago, North Carolina’s Cabarrus County lost what was once the world’s largest cigarette factory, leaving a massive 2,500-job hole in the regional economy. But recently, Alevo, a Swiss Energy Service Provider, purchased the former Philip Morris complex and plans to invest $1 billion to produce an innovative new battery technology that could prove a game-changer for the utility industry.

“Alevo’s decision to locate here is the result of four years of hard work by a partnership of local business leaders, local, county and state economic development officials and the chamber,” said Patrick Coughlin, President of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce. “This breakthrough battery technology will help our region continue to lead the country in the emerging clean energy economy,” Coughlin added.

Founded by Jostein Eikeland, a Norwegian entrepreneur who is credited with helping to develop cloud computing, Alevo plans to hire 500 people by the end of 2015 and reach employment level of 6,000 within three years.

The move adds to an impressive portfolio of major employers with clean energy priorities bringing their business to Cabarrus County. Recently, Amazon, which has a commitment to achieve 100 percent renewable energy usage in its global infrastructure footprint, also announced it will locate a new data center in Cabarrus.

Alevo, which purchased the 2,100-acre campus for $68 million without state or local incentives, is dedicated to solving what it describes as one of the world’s greatest energy challenges: the ability to store electricity and deliver it when and where it is needed.

Eikeland told local reporters that the company plans to begin production of energy reservoirs known as GridBanks that store and deliver electricity on demand across the grid. Alevo says its product will also help utilities implement more solar and wind generation by capturing power when it is generated and storing it for later use.