RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA -- You're going to see a lot more solar panels in Wake County.

  • The Wake County Board of Commissioners unanimously decided on Monday to transition all of their buildings and cars to renewable energy
  • Commissioners said they made this move to help protect the environment from climate change
  • Commissioners also vowed to plant more plants native to North Carolina

The Wake County Board of Commissioners unanimously decided on Monday to transition all of their buildings and cars to renewable energy, including solar power and fuel cells, by 2050. The agreement also calls for the county to reach 80 percent renewable energy by 2035.

Commissioners said they made this move to help protect the environment from climate change.

"This is not something our grandchildren have to worry about," said commissioner John Burns. "This is something you and I need to worry about.​"

"We are watching climate change happen on a week by week, month by month, year by year basis," added commissioner Matt Calabria.

Karen Bearden and her group, 350 Triangle, approached the Board of Commissioners a year ago to get them to commit to renewable energy. Bearden says she is ecstatic the county is moving away from fossil fuels.

"It means a whole lot to me that we are finally at this point, but now the real work begins," said Bearden. "The resolution is by 2050 but I say the faster we can do it, the better."

Wake County officials say the first two buildings to receive solar panels will be the South Wilmington Street Center and the still under construction Oak City Center.

Commissioners also took an additional step to protect the environment during Monday's meeting by vowing to plant more plants native to North Carolina.