State Senator Bobby Hanig and Representative Michael Wray presented a $150,000 check to the Center for Energy Education — dollars that will be used as seed money for a clean energy workforce lab.

The check presentation was made during today’s Solarfest activities.

“We passed the budget a couple of weeks ago — a $30 billion budget — and we were able to get an earmark for the Center for Energy Education,” Wray said. “On behalf of the great state of North Carolina in a bipartisan budget it’s an honor and privilege on behalf of Senator Hanig and myself to have earmarked $150,000 for the Center for Energy Education. We present this for what you do as you continue to make a difference.”

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C4EE Executive Director Mozine Lowe said, “As I was saying to Senator Bobby, I’m jumping up and down. I’m so excited because this has never happened before for the center. This is progress and this is about moving forward. This is a really big deal for the center. I want to thank you so much — thank you all for making this possible.”

Lowe said the clean energy workforce lab is an indication of where the center is headed and it will be built for the community, “our schools, our workforce organizations, our partners — so many people. We’re going to build a clean energy workforce lab and we are inviting our students to come and work alongside our industry partners, our scientists, our engineers.”

She said those who experience working in the lab once completed “will begin to learn about the new clean energy technology. We’re going to bring those industries here to Halifax County — industries that will be coming anyway because of charging stations, electric vehicles and solar is already here. We’re going to bring them here and we’re going to help build the knowledge, the certification and skills for our community to grow. This is the first seed to make that happen.”

James Pierce, vice chair of the C4EE board, said, “This is the first time we got one with those numbers. We do thank you and we will make certain and promise you we will follow through.”