Energy poverty occurs when households spend more than 10% of their incomes on energy expenses each year. In North Carolina, many low-income families often spend 20% of their income on energy. When this happens, they may have to cut back on other essentials, including food, medicine, and transportation. The Renewable Energy Transition Initiative (RETI) is working to eliminate energy poverty in North Carolina by a) Decreasing the energy costs of modest income families through the adoption of renewable, clean-energy technologies, and b) Educating residents on renewable energy solutions and encouraging the use of energy-efficient technologies.