Investor, financier and hedge fund manager T. Boone Pickens is giving a Texas-sized cheer to North Carolina for the Old North State's emerging energy policies.

Pickens, who chairs BP Capital Management, has issued an enthusiastic blurb in support of a package of three energy bills that would legalize fracking in this state and urge drilling off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The bills were passed Wednesday by a state Senate committee on energy policy and will be introduced before the General Assembly in May.

To be precise, Pickens lauded one provision in the sweeping legislative package that would reshape the state's political landscape with new boards, taks forces and a smorgasbord of requirements. What Pickens liked is the proposed "aggressive move to move the state's school buses off OPEC oil/diesel/gasoline and onto domestic natural gas."

Claim: "(Fracking) would only bring to the state at most about 100 jobs."

Speaker: Bill Faison at Democratic gubernatorial debate Monday

Financial rebates for buying energy-efficient home appliances will expire Monday under North Carolina's latest Energy Star rebate program. State officials are urging those who bought high-efficiency appliances on or after Jan. 1 to claim up to $300 in rebates by 5 p.m. Monday.

The program, launched in February, pays between $50 and $300 for purchases of air conditioners, heat pumps, water heaters and other efficient appliances. The money comes from the federal stimulus package that is now wrapping up as the funds are depleted.

North Carolina has offered several Energy Star rebate programs in past years, distributing more than $11 million for nearly 80,000 appliance purchases. The current program will disburse an additional $1.2 million.

To claim a rebate residents are asked to go to www.ncappliancerebate.com/ or call 1-855-208-6242.

Apple revealed additional details Monday about its massive data center located in Maiden, North Carolina.

The 500,000 square foot facility, costing a reported $1 billion, hosts data for Apple's iCloud and Siri services. 

Having already obtained LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, the report from Apple includes plans to go greener by building what it calls "the nation’s largest end user–owned, onsite solar array" and the "largest non-utility fuel cell installation."

Swiss energy conglomerate ABB, which has its North American corporate headquarters in Cary, announced today that it is acquiring electric components maker Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion.

ABB is paying $72 per share in cash for Thomas & Betts, which specializes in low-voltage products.

The company will combine with ABB’s North American low-voltage products business to become a new business unit based in Memphis, Tenn.

PowerSecure International, a growing Wake Forest energy services company, this morning announced one of its biggest contracts since the recession.

The company said it expects to reap $20 million over two years from a major investor-owned utility to provide power line construction and maintenance. PowerSecure did not name the electric utility.

PowerSecure provides a range of contract services in such areas power grids, transmission, distribution, energy efficiency and backup emergency generators.

PowerSecure periodically announces major contracts and other major financial milestones to update investors on its major lines of business.

Do you want to lessen your impact on the environment? No matter your living situation, there's a little something all of us can do to be a bit greener in 2012. Just adopting one new green habit can make a difference. Here are some tips to help get you started:

PowerSecure International, the Wake Forest energy services firm, has signed $15 million in new orders, the company announced in a regulatory filing this morning.

The awards include $10 million for the company's smart grid power system and $5 million for utility infrastructure projects.

PowerSecure operates emergency backup diesel generators as alternate power sources for customers.

The company also is branching out to energy-efficient illumination that uses light-emitting diodes, glowing chips that are commonly known as LED lights.

Early last month PowerSecure reported third-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street estimates.

The company reported revenue of $38.2 million, up 45 percent from the same period a year ago.

PowerSecure shares were down 10 cents in afternoon trading today. The stock, which opened at $5.18, is down 35 percent this year.

Celgard, a Charlotte company that's become a darling of politicians for its green technology work and job creation, will get a little more love on Monday morning.

Gov. Bev Perdue is expected to announce that Celgard will receive another financial-assistance package in exchange for the promise of adding more jobs. Perdue is scheduled to make a jobs announcement at 10 a.m. in Concord, where Celgard is opening a facility to make membranes used in lithium-ion batteries.

U.S Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco and other officials are expected to join Perdue at the facility's dedication ceremony.

N.C. Commerce Department officials will meet in Raleigh shortly before that on Monday morning to approve an incentives package. It's unclear how much money is involved or how many jobs are planned.