Warren wrong on renewable energy

Why does Harry Warren dislike success? House Bill 681 which he recently filed at the General Assembly would undo incredible strides our state has made since passage of the 2007 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).

Through the depths of the Great Recession the renewables industry, home grown in North Carolina, created thousands of jobs and attracted billions of dollars of investment into our state. The growth continues and the renewables industry is providing steady income to farmers, and creating tax revenue for local governments like Rowan County where my company has several solar farms either built or under development. The renewable energy success in North Carolina is the envy of neighboring states which are now enacting legislation and making regulatory changes to develop their own renewable energy industry.

Yet, somehow, Representative Warren, who sponsored House Bill 681, thinks we have a problem. I guess it is a problem if you are a defender of conventional fossil-based sources of electricity and wish to prevent other sources of energy from developing. Fortunately most North Carolinians know better. In a recent poll conducted by Conservatives for Clean Energy, more than 85 percent of likely voters polled “support policies that encourage renewable energy options.”

Instead of taking potshots at entrepreneurial new businesses entering the energy arena, Representative Warren should join his legislative peers who are calling for a holistic approach to address a broad range of energy issues. An approach, I might add, endorsed both by renewable energy companies and by Duke Energy.

— John Morrison

Chapel Hill

The writer is senior vice president of Strata Solar, LLC.

Why Facebook?

When the Salisbury Post moved in the direction of an enhanced website, I thought this was a good move. I was able as a subscriber to enjoy my hardcopy newspaper and also read articles and research via the website.

This was fine with me and worth the annual subscription I pay.

On many sites I access via a password, I can click and comment. I can no longer do that at the Post site, even though I’m a paid subscriber. Now I’m expected to use Facebook, which is nothing more than a gossip site.

Why can’t Salisbury Post subscribers simply sign-on and click?

— Eric Marsh

China Grove

We have found that people are more civil when their Facebook profile is connected to their comments, so we have handled comments that way for more than two years. We understand that Facebook is not for everyone and may consider other options.

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