Southface Institute: Blog

Georgia Power’s Long-Term Energy Plans Make Progress on Clean Energy, But Key Issues Deferred

Renewable Energy

On Thursday, July 21st, the Georgia Public Service Commission concluded the months-long process of deciding on Georgia Power’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) or long-term resource plan. The results of the IRP will lead to progress on energy efficiency, more coal retirements, and more competition on where Georgia Power buys its power, but action on key issues has been deferred. This blog post was jointly prepared with contributions from Southface (Will Collier and Katie Southworth) and the Southern Alliance for …

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Southface Sarasota and New College of Florida Partner for Our Sustainable Future

Press Room

  The Caples Carriage House on New College campus is the new home of Southface Sarasota. Sustainability nonprofit Southface Sarasota lost its base of operations recently when the lease on the Florida House green demonstration home and gardens ended and was not renewed. But when that door closed, another opened at New College of Florida. Southface and New College just announced a powerful new partnership anchored at the school’s bayfront campus that will blend community engagement with cutting-edge learning opportunities. …

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Florida: Setting Energy Efficiency Goals Like It’s 1999

Blog

Back in 1980, the Florida legislature recognized that reducing energy consumption can benefit both ratepayers and utility companies that need to reliably meet customer demand for energy. State legislators enacted the Florida Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act (FEECA) that year, which charged the Public Service Commission (PSC) with establishing energy efficiency and conservation goals for the state’s seven regulated electric utilities—Florida Power and Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric Company, Gulf Power Company, Florida Public Utilities Company, JEA, and Orlando Utilities …

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Solar Energy Leader Now President of Nonprofit that Inspired Him Since High School

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During his senior year at Lincoln County High School, James Marlow wrote to a newly established nonprofit of solar energy advocates in Atlanta, Ga., to learn how he could start his own career on the cutting edge of sustainability and clean energy. James never guessed that he would become the president of that organization decades later, but that’s exactly what he accomplished when he joined Southface Institute on May 16. After graduating from high school and then from Georgia Southern …

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The Decatur Clean Energy Public Forum is a Community-Driven Success

Green Technology
Renewable Energy

City of Decatur staff and members of the consulting teams outline pathways to 100% Clean Energy. Photo credit: Greg White On March 8 and 9, more than 50 community members joined Southface Institute and Greenlink Analytics at the Decatur Recreation Center for the Decatur Clean Energy Public Forum. Equipped with resources and information about the Clean Energy Plan, students from Decatur City Schools canvassed downtown Decatur and engaged the public as people arrived, explored, and asked questions. While residents learned …

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Florida Nonprofits Partner to Save the Planet While Serving Communities

Blog

SARASOTA, Fla. — Great ideas often start with a lightbulb moment, especially in the sustainability world. In 2008, sustainable building nonprofit Southface Institute recognized that reducing nonprofits’ utility bills by increasing the efficiency of their facilities would save critical dollars to reinvest in serving meals, teaching youth, assisting unsheltered families, and more. Years after Southface’s GoodUse program launched, the idea has proven its substantial value — 400+ nonprofits nationwide have saved $3.2 million, 24 million kWh of electricity, 15,466 kGal of …

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States Weigh the True Price of Natural Gas Amid Russia-Fueled Volatility

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Renewable Energy

ATLANTA — As Russia escalates its invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. imposes sanctions banning the import of Russian oil, liquefied natural gas, and coal, America grapples with stabilizing its own energy markets. Though we produce almost all the natural gas we consume, domestic prices are increasing in response to global market volatility and growing international demand for U.S. resources. As sustainable building nonprofit Southface sees it, it’s another setback for an energy fuel source that state utilities have long touted …

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Unboxing Georgia Power’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan

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Renewable Energy

  Every three years, Georgia Power updates its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), determining how they will invest funds from their 2.7 million customers over the following two decades. This plan largely determines which energy sources and programs are available to Georgians and at what environmental and financial cost. Georgia Power is our state’s largest utility, and the decisions that will be finalized in a few short months will have far-reaching impacts on Georgia’s energy future. It is crucial that the …

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Balancing the Scales: What Justice40 Means to Me

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Climate Change

By Jo’De Cummings, Technical Program Coordinator, Southface Institute  On January 27, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” that created a governmentwide Justice40 Initiative. This initiative aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities. It is incredible progressive reform that can revitalize these communities in multiple ways.     First, the cost savings from sustainability improvements have the potential to pay massive …

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What’s One Footprint? What the Climate Report Means For Real People

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  You stayed up later than you really wanted to, but you were finally starting to settle into bed. You were so tired that you forgot until just that moment that you didn’t turn off the light in the kitchen. Sure, you know it’s more environmentally friendly to turn your lights off when you’re not using them, but how much can you as one individual influence something as massive and dire as the climate crisis? Can’t the environment take one …

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