Municipal Carbon Emissions Reduction

The Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Plan lays out a clear pathway to achieving the Town’s goal to reduce municipal greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030.

From 2012 to 2023, the Town’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by almost 18%. That’s equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from 112 gasoline cars driven for a year or the carbon sequestered by almost 8,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years!

But there is more to be done. To reach an 80% reduction, the Town will implement programs to:

1. Increase the energy efficiency of municipal buildings by conducting building energy audits to identify energy conservation measures in each building, upgrading building equipment with more energy efficient technologies, improving building operations, maintenance and occupant behavior
2. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to municipal fleet operations by right sizing the fleet, replacing gas and diesel vehicles and landscape equipment with electric as the technology continues to improve, and reducing vehicle idling
3. Power Town operations by adding rooftop solar PV systems to Town facilities and build resilience by adding back up energy generators for new critical facilities

PROGRESS: 

• Due to upgraded HVAC equipment and controls, LED lighting retrofits, and energy conservation by Town employees, the Town’s electricity and natural gas usage is down by over 23% since 2012.
• In 2024, the Town purchased its first all-electric vehicles, one F-150 Lightning and two Nissan Leafs! These are added to the 20 hybrid vehicles already in use in the Town’s 120-vehicle fleet.
• The Town uses two quiet and clean electric lawn mowers and other landscape equipment, including electric blowers, a pole saw/pruner, a weed eater/edger, and a chain saw, to keep Town properties safe and beautiful.
• The Town installed solar photovoltaic systems at Fire Station #1 and Public Works and plans to add rooftop solar to the new Drakeford Library Complex with a Climate Action Grant from Orange County.

WHAT’S NEXT?

• The Town’s newest building, the Drakeford Library Complex, which is shared with Orange County, incorporates many sustainable features, include high-efficiency HVAC systems, programmable LED lighting, water-saving fixtures and a rooftop solar PV array!
• The Town plans to replace all light-duty trucks and sedans in the fleet at the end of their lifespans with all-electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles and will continue to monitor the state of technology for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
• The Town will be conducting a pilot to determine how telematics can be used to optimize solid waste vehicle routes to reduce diesel usage and carbon emissions.
•  The Town will continue to purchase electric landscape equipment as old equipment reaches the end of its lifespan.