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State energy pathway · North Carolina

Start with the energy systems shaping North Carolina.

North Carolina's power plants generate electricity through three main channels: natural gas (40%), nuclear (32%), and renewables including solar (15%). Coal plants are being retired, and North Carolina is now the #5 state in solar capacity nationally. Fast-growing communities in and around cities mean rising electricity demand across the state. Students can see energy infrastructure changing in real time. Understanding how that transition works gives them agency in a shifting economy.

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

See why energy matters hereJump to the matched course

Why Energy Matters in North Carolina

The Changing Grid

North Carolina's grid today runs on natural gas (40%) and nuclear power (32%), with coal plants being retired and solar at #5 nationally in capacity. Balancing these shifts while keeping electricity reliable and affordable is where the real engineering work appears.

Mixed Infrastructure Across Communities

North Carolina ranks #4 nationally in residential electricity consumption—households here use more electricity per capita than most states. The state's manufacturing sector (led by chemical production) adds significant industrial electricity demand. Urban centers and rural communities face different infrastructure realities, making decisions about grid design high-stakes for the engineers and policymakers who run these systems.

Latimer Energy Academy helps North Carolina students understand how their state's power systems actually work—and where the engineering challenges lie. Through the microgrid project, students can simulate the tradeoffs that grid engineers face when optimizing for reliability, cost, and flexibility. They can see how real decisions (like retiring coal plants while building nuclear capacity) show up as technical constraints on the tools they're designing.

Energy data is from the EIA State Energy Data System, EIA State Electricity Profiles, NCSL State Energy Legislation Database, and state economic development offices.

Start here for North Carolina

The Microgrid: Optimization & Resilience

North Carolina's grid transitions in real time—retiring coal, investing in nuclear and solar while managing high residential demand (#4 nationally). This creates a rich set of engineering tradeoffs: reliability vs. cost, centralized power plants vs. distributed renewables, immediate grid balance vs. long-term planning. Through the microgrid project, students can investigate these exact tradeoffs by designing, building, and testing their own grid under shifting constraints.

Mission spotlight

What Does Power Cost?

North Carolina ranks #4 nationally in residential electricity use—when the grid is this active, how utilities price power shapes real household decisions. Managing a mix of natural gas, nuclear, and growing solar while retiring coal plants means costs are constantly shifting. In this mission, students can build a real energy price formula and work through what it actually costs to run a grid like North Carolina's.

Included in LEA curriculum

Pilot proof

Students enjoy the work because it feels real.

In January 2026, 39 fourth-grade students in Indianapolis completed every lesson from start to finish — coding real pocket computers (microcontrollers), collecting live energy readings, and presenting findings to an audience.

4.6/5

Student enjoyment

72% of students gave it a 5-star rating

100%

Reported learning something new

Every student who took the survey said they learned something new

39

Students completed the entire course

Every student finished all five lessons, coded a pocket computer (microcontroller), and presented findings

Available to book today

Book the support that fits North Carolina.

Whether you want to get LEA into the hands of students this semester, plan for a pilot next year, or just learn more about the state-specific approach, you can book a session with our team to get the support you need.

School or district consultation

Review the state-specific entry point, pilot scope, and what implementation would look like for your classrooms.

Book this path

Founder-led instruction session

Bring Dr. Naeem Turner-Bandele in to teach a project and show what high-quality facilitation looks like with students.

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Family or community guidance

Get help choosing the right starting point for home learning, after-school use, or a community organization rollout.

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Utility or business partnership call

Discuss local workforce relevance, territory fit, and how we can collaborate to support energy education in your community.

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Find your path

Choose your next step based on how you want to use LEA in North Carolina.

Select your path below to see the approach designed for how you will use LEA in North Carolina — whether you run a classroom, lead a school, or support a student at home.

Find the right starting point

Schools

Curriculum and professional development for your district

Teachers

Lesson plans and resources for your classroom

Parents

Learn alongside your child with guided family activities

Community

Hands-on energy programs for clubs and community groups

Utilities

STEM outreach and workforce pipeline programs

Businesses

Partner with Latimer Energy Academy to build the energy and technology workforce