Director’s Log | August 2024

August is always an exciting time at the Institute for Emerging Issues. Just outside of our doors in the NC State University James B. Hunt Jr. Library, there’s an increased sense of excitement with the sights and sounds of a new school year. While February may seem like a lifetime away – especially with the heat we’re experiencing in late August – we’re at the peak of planning for the first in a series of Emerging Issues Forums focused on our state’s infrastructure.

North Carolina’s population is projected to reach 14 million people by 2050. The 2025 Emerging Issues Forum, Future Forward Energy, will examine the changes and challenges driving the electric grid of the future and how we can better meet the energy needs of our growing population and evolving economy. 

Earlier this month, our policy team traveled to Pittsboro, Aulander and Asheville to learn from local and regional leaders about energy topics specific to their communities. We were interested in understanding what they are doing and the lessons they have to share with others across the state. In Pittsboro, we discussed workforce development efforts and the broader impact of the influx of clean energy jobs on local infrastructure. In Aulander, we discussed local and regional efforts in Northeastern North Carolina to make energy more affordable for households; and in Asheville the conversation centered around their efforts to expand renewable energy access, as well as the impact of these additions to the power grid. 

Thank you to the leaders from K-12 and higher education, the energy industry and other local employers, local government and nonprofit/advocacy organizations who participated in these important conversations. 

As we head into the fall, our team is gathering an Energy Infrastructure Advisory Council to help us finalize the forum agenda and draft recommendations that will be presented to attendees in February for their feedback. The recommendations will focus on how to best support communities in their efforts to create a sustainable pipeline of energy workers, support energy affordability for their residents, and accommodate the infrastructure investments needed to provide reliable, affordable and resilient electricity. As always, the forum will highlight actions that can be taken by households, policymakers, industries, and others. We look forward to sharing more information soon!

While we’re exploring the policies impacting this space, we’re also having fun hearing about the innovative and emerging technologies underway across North Carolina to help us meet the needs facing our energy future, including battery storage, microgrids and more!

Want to support our Future Forward Infrastructure program? Click here to learn more.