
WILMINGTON — Though there is a citywide goal to have a 58% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, staff told city council Monday some areas spiked last year.
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According to Wilmington Sustainability Project Manager David Ingram, greenhouse gas emissions were up 20% overall in 2024.
“It’s due to several factors,” Ingram said, namely the city’s procurement of the Skyline Center. “That accounted for about 93% of the increased electricity usage that we calculated this year.”
Ingram said staff anticipated the increase and broke down the numbers:
- 38% increase in electricity usage
- 14% increase on natural gas usage
- 5% increase on propane usage
- 1% increase on fleet fuel usage
The city purchased Skyline Center for $68 million while still owning its former office properties, which added to the increased electricity usage. Buildings and facilities had a 38% rise from 2023.
“Good news is that we’ve already offloaded some of those properties, just across the street,” Ingram said, noting 305 Chestnut St. was a “big utility user.” It was demolished in November and purchased by Cape Fear Holdings LLC for $1.7 million, with the goal to become a grocery store.
Ingram assured next year already looks more promising for emissions to decline since properties are being sold.
“We’re expecting this number to drop back down significantly,” he said.

The city has a goal to reach 4,076 metric ton of CO2e by 2050, measuring from 2007’s baseline of 9,704. 2024 measured 12,132 metric ton of CO2e, up from 10,132 in 2023.
Council member David Joyner questioned if there was a map or plan in place to help address increases. The chart Ingram put forth showed an uptick since 2021.
“Even as far back as 2023, did we have a comprehensive strategy to get from 10,000 [GHG emissions] to 7,000?” Joyner asked.
Ingram said they’re trying to steer back in the right direction to reach the 2050 goal, and said the gains are coming from increased services the city has experienced.
“The actions we’re looking at in the future are gonna get us back on that glide path,” he assured.
The city’s methodology measures its effect on greenhouse gas emissions multiple ways. It can be fuels burned on site, such as in vehicles, and natural gas or electricity produced in city buildings. There are indirect emissions measured, too, including side fuel purchases, though they are a smaller makeup.
The city works with the the EPA data source eGRID and uses the software ICLEI ClearPath to measure its annual emissions. In 2024 the eGRID factor for Virginia and the Carolinas had a 3% reduction from 2023.
“What we’ve seen [with eGRID factor] over the years is a 27% overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as we look back to 2014,” Ingram said. “As the electricity grid continues to clean up and get away from fossil fuels, it really helps with our greenhouse gas emissions.”
The city’s vehicles and equipment account for roughly 43% of emissions. Wilmington is also attempting to reach a 100% green fleet by 2050, with half of its fleet changed out to electric by 2035. The city has an upcoming fleet EV transition study funded through a grant program, and Ingram revealed staff has a vendor in mind and will be reaching out to begin the study soon.
“We’re seeing a reduction in our miles per gallon, which also drives us to more cost in controlling our budget for our fuel,” Ingram said. “We’re going to continue to target additional hybrids as well as EVs, where we can fit them in currently.”
Ingram pointed to two Nissan Leafs in the operations center currently.
Street and traffic signals are monitored as well in the breakdown but only account for 7% of emissions. The city saw a 1% decrease from 2023 in this sector. It tapped Duke Energy to change 122 street lights to become LEDs at various facilities.
“We’ve pretty much hit our ceiling in this area as far as energy efficiency projects,” Ingram said, “unless we begin to look at LED lighting for some of our really high fields — like stadium lights, tennis court lights, although we do have some LEDs for tennis courts.”
Mayor Bill Saffo asked if Duke Energy had any policy requiring street lights installed for new subdivisions be LEDs, to which staff answered it would take further research. Saffo also wanted to know if there is a significant cost difference between high pressure sodium vapor lights and LED, and if the city should put in its code that LEDs are required.
Staff said the savings for the conversion from high pressure sodium vapor to LED is “nominal.”
“If it’s new construction, and the person can put it in from the get-go without having to do a conversion, I just don’t understand why we wouldn’t do it if the cost savings is about the same,” he said.
Later in the meeting, the mayor also inquired about switching lighting in some areas to solar, such as at the pickleball courts at Greenfield. Currently, a section of the Cross City Trail behind Flying Machine Brewing Co. has upward of 10 lights adapted for solar use as part of a pilot program.
Staff said they’re working well, without issues so far.
“But we haven’t gotten to the point where we might be able to do it with an active site, like a tennis facility,” Dave Mayes, public services director, said. “I’m not saying that it couldn’t be done, but we haven’t investigated it to that point yet.”
Joyner asked for data associated with changing the tennis courts and stadium lights to LED, which Ingram said he could have in a week.
To improve greenhouse gas emission metrics otherwise, Ingram listed numerous ways staff continues to work toward its success. He explained the goal is to embrace opportunities to make Skyline Center more energy efficient.
“We actually have a grant in and we have our fingers crossed on it,” he said.
Ingram also suggested continuing with more pilot programs, utilizing alternative modes of transportation — ”whether that’s within our own city staff or throughout the community” — and communicating with city departments on ways to make an impact overall.
He praised legislation of the council, which recently signed a resolution for a sustainable municipal building policy, as well as the city’s Clean Energy Advisory Committee. Ingram confirmed staff would follow state and federal opportunities as well to help the city reach its 2050 goals.
Reach journalist Brenna Flanagan at brenna@localdailymedia.com
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