North Carolina pork producers have until April 15 to submit proposals indicating their interest in helping supply waste-generated power for the state.

Proposals will be submitted to North Carolina electric suppliers as part of a state requirement mandating that power companies must use swine waste to produce electricity. A request for proposals (RFP) process signals the energy buyers are seeking proposals for energy and/or renewable energy certificates. Each buyer will determine whether or not it will enter into a contract with a respondent based on the proposal.

Progress Energy will head up the RFP process, reviewing proposals for companies including North Carolina Power, Duke Energy Carolinas, GreenCo Solutions, NC Electric Membership Corporation, NC Eastern Municipal Power Agency and NC Municipal Power Agency Number 1.

The North Carolina Utilities Commission cleared the way for the joint effort with a recent order that approved a plan proposed by the suppliers to work together to meet the statewide requirement to produce 0.07% of the energy they sell from swine waste by 2012, and then 0.14% by 2015.

Pork producers interested in submitting a proposal are asked to do so by April 15. The field will be narrowed to a short list for negotiations by July 1. Progress Energy expects to award contracts by Oct.1.

Read the original press release from Progress Energy for more information and instructions for submitting proposals at: www.progress-energy.com/environment/.