SAS Institute

Cabinet heads check out solar project

bkrueger — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:01:51 -0400

Two members of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet toured a solar energy project in Cary today to tout the expansion of the renewable energy industry.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Energy Secretary Steven Chu visited the project at SAS Institute headquarters in Cary. There, Southern Energy Management of Morrisville has planted one of the Southeast’s largest solar farms.

Southern Energy Management was the primary contractor for SunPower on two 1-megawatt solar arrays at SAS, according to the Department of the Interior. The project includes a 24-collector solar water heating system and a 1-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) system of 5,040 solar panels on five acres of land.

Salazar called the firm one of hundreds of cutting-edge renewable energy companies sprouting up around the country, his department said.

Perdue not sheepish at event

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:18:43 -0400

Gov. Beverly Perdue's speech was interupted this week, not by boos but by baaas.

The governor was outlining her energy ideas at a SAS solar farm in Cary on Thursday, when some sheep — kept on hand as grass trimmers — bleated.

That prompted Perdue to turn to John Sall, SAS' co-founder, and quip: "If we only had that ram, John, we could mate and have fun."

Quick Hits

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:41:26 -0400

* Former N.C. Supreme Court Justice and gubernatorial candidate Bob Orr endorses Chad Adams in the race for chair of the N.C. Republican Party.

* Gov. Beverly Perdue tells SAS co-founder John Sall to "get a ram" after sheep at a solar farm interrupt her speech repeatedly.

* North Carolina is the only state in the union where you can't make a citizen's arrest: Although you can detain someone, you can't move them.

* Charlotte Observer columnist Jack Betts thinks state Rep. Cary Allred's propensity to "pop off at every opportunity" has hurt him in his recent brouhaha.

Perdue outlines energy plan

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:11:24 -0400

CARY — Standing in front of solar farm, Gov. Beverly Perdue this morning announced an energy program designed to both make North Carolina more energy efficient and also create more jobs connected to the so-called green economy.

The governor proposed investing more public money in private alternate energy start-up companies, elevate state energy policies, and also make state government more energy efficient, Rob Christensen reports.

"Developing our green economy is one of the cornerstones of why I wanted to be governor," Perdue said.

Perdue said the proposals were part of her campaign promise in 2008, in which she said she would work to produce more jobs in North Carolina for projects such as weatherizing homes and businesses, and making the equipment needed for alternative energy forms such as solar power.

After the jump, her proposals.

Perdue to announce energy plan

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:42:10 -0400

Gov. Beverly Perdue will announce an energy reform package.

She will announce a package to refocus state energy policymaking and make strategic investments in environmentally friendly industries at the SAS solar farm in Cary at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow.

Perdue will be joined by Ivan Urlaub, executive director of the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association; John Sall, co-founder of SAS; and other business and environmental leaders.

McCrory's day job

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:36:30 -0400

How much does Pat McCrory make a year?

The Republican gubernatorial candidate has twice referenced his own salary at recent debates when arguing that the state's education system should focus more on technical training.

At a debate on WRAL recently, McCrory said that plumbers working on his house make more than he does. And at an education debate at the SAS Institute today, he said information technology workers made more.

After today's debate, Dome asked McCrory how much he makes.

"Right now, I'm making $39,000 a year — that's my mayor's salary," he said.

McCrory resigned his job as a recruiter for Duke Energy in Charlotte before filing to run for governor in the Republican primary. He said he and his wife are living off of savings.

He would not reveal his most recent salary at Duke.

"I'm not going to get into my salary, but let me put it this way: I'm middle class. I'm not a wealthy individual," he said, drawing a contrast with Democrat Beverly Perdue.

"You don't see myself lending my campaign any money," he said. "My opponent can lend herself a million dollars. I cannot."

Would Perdue appoint superintendent?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:21:41 -0400

Beverly Perdue evaded a question at the debate today.

During a series of brief yes-or-no questions at the education debate on the SAS Institute campus, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate gave a vague and confusing answer when asked if she would support appointing the superintendent of public instruction.

"I've danced this dance before," she said. "The governor is in charge of education in North Carolina."

The answer echoed a response given by state Superintendent June Atkinson, a Democrat running for re-election, who said the governor is in charge back in January when the question arose. But it was not exactly a yes-or-no response.

Later in the debate, she said that voters don't think it matters whether the position is elected or appointed, but the bottom line is that the governor should run education.

At a primary debate in April, Perdue said that the state should have an appointed superintendent, but said it was unlikely that the necessary constitutional amendment would pass, according to this account by the Greensboro News & Record's Mark Binker.

Republican Pat McCrory's position was clear: He thinks the position should be appointed.

Were there webmasters a decade ago?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:57:50 -0400

Had anyone heard of webmasters ten years ago?

At a debate on the SAS Institute campus today, Beverly Perdue made a minor historical mistake while making a point about education and technology.

"Ten years ago, who of us in this room would have thought we would ever know what a webmaster is?" she asked, rhetorically.

Dome doesn't know about the 400 people in the audience, although we would think that given the surroundings they'd be a bit more tech-friendly than other audiences.

Anyway, as it turns out more than a few people would have heard of webmasters in 1998.

The first free Web browser was developed in 1993. Within a few years, webmasters had became common, and the International Webmasters Association was founded in 1996. And the word appears in the 2000 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary.

Perdue's podium gambit

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:48:13 -0400

Beverly Perdue has tried a new debate gambit.

For the first time in one of the gubernatorial debates this year, the Democratic candidate stepped away from the podium and stood on stage.

After the first question at a debate on the SAS Institute campus this morning, Perdue addressed the crowd of around 400 away from a podium.

It is not clear how the move will play on television, since it may depend on how the camera operators reacted.

One initial thought: It's less likely that Republican opponent Pat McCrory will be in the frame with her while she speaks.

The two are standing about a foot apart behind podiums that are about two and a half feet high.

Perdue did not step away from the podium after later questions.

Munger double chilipunked!

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:35:23 -0400

Mike Munger got double chilipunked today.

Aside from not being invited to an education debate at the SAS Institute in Cary, he was also dissed by an introductory video, which said North Carolinians will elect "one of two candidates" for governor this fall.

Munger is the Libertarian candidate for governor — the only third party candidate to appear on the ballot.

The event was sponsored by the Everybody's Business Coalition, the N.C. Cable Telecommunications Association, Time Warner Cable and SAS.