Southface Institute: Blog

For many, accessing clean and affordable water is an everyday challenge. For others, the economic downturn caused by the pandemic has made it difficult to keep the water turned on.

While the spread of COVID-19 remains uncertain, working from home is quickly becoming the new normal, leading to more at-home energy costs. A predicted one-third of Americans will see a 10-15% increase in their energy bills this summer because of virus-related changes at work, which means spending between $2 and $37 more, according to Arcadia, an energy and analytic company.

COVID-19 is changing the way energy is used at home. The significant increase in usage is causing higher bills and more anxious consumers. It is important now, more than ever, for utility companies to provide clear communication with their customers. The best practices in this article demonstrate how energy providers can create positive consumer engagement in these uncertain times.

Clean energy is becoming mainstream, with roughly 15% of the electricity generated in the U.S. coming from sources like solar and wind. As renewable energy challenges the traditional methods of electricity generation, grid infrastructure is being updated so renewables can prosper—no easy task.

Georgia Power has asked state legislators to raise a fixed fee on its energy bills, a move that could reduce the cost impact of users' everyday energy-saving measures. “It limits consumer control over how to manage their energy use and, therefore, it limits the impact of their choices on their energy bills,” said Lisa Bianchi-Fossati, Southface Institute's Director of Policy.

Southface and the Southern Environmental Law Center are pleased to present “The Water-Energy Nexus in Georgia: A Detailed Examination of Consumptive Water Use in the Power Sector.” Our goals in …

Continue reading "Advancing the Case for an Energy-Efficient Georgia: The Water-Energy Nexus"

Through extensive stakeholder collaboration and community input, the city of Knoxville’s Smarter Cities Partnership designed KEEM: The Knoxville Extreme Energy Makeover Program. KEEM lessens the burden on low-income communities by reducing overall energy use.