Southern Alliance For Clean Energy

THE SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE ENERGY CHOICES TO ENSURE CLEAN, SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST.

CLEAN ENERGY ON FEBRUARY 15, 2021, SACE, WITH OUR PARTNERS PLUGIN NC (PINC), CONVENED THE 2ND ANNUAL NC ET STAKEHOLDER GATHERING, WHICH INCLUDED A PANEL DISCUSSION, BREAKOUT SESSIONS, AND A PRESENTATION FROM OUR PARTNERS EVHYBRIDNOIRE ON CRITICAL QUESTIONS OF EQUITY AND ACCESS. THIS STATE-WIDE CONVENING OF NORTH CAROLINA ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION STAKEHOLDERS DREW OVER 96 PARTICIPANTS, AND FEATURED AN EQUITABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH REPUBLICAN NC HOUSE REP JOHN SZOKA, NC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUSAN FLEETWOOD, NC-BASED MANUFACTURERS ARRIVAL AND THOMAS BUILT BUSES, AND ADVOCATE ORGANIZATION E2; AS WELL AS A PRESENTATION ON NC MARKET FINDINGS FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION IN THE SOUTHEAST REPORT. "IN JUNE 2021, SACE RELEASED OUR FOURTH ANNUAL ""SOLAR IN THE SOUTHEAST"" REPORT HIGHLIGHTING SOLAR DATA AND TRENDS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THIS UNIQUE ANALYSIS OFFERS DETAILED INFORMATION AT THE REGIONAL, STATE, AND UTILITY LEVELS AND PROVIDES AN UNBIASED STANDARD TO DISTINGUISH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND LAGGARDS IN A FAIR MANNER.IN AUGUST 2021, SACE RELEASED TWO NEW PIECES OF TRANSPORTATION-RELATED ANALYSIS: THE FIRST, ""TRANSPORTATION FUEL SPENDING IN THE SOUTHEAST: INTERNAL COMBUSTION VS. ELECTRIC VEHICLES"" SHOWS THAT IF ALL OF OUR REGION'S VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED WERE ELECTRIC TODAY, SOUTHEAST CONSUMERS WOULD SAVE 42 BILLION ANNUALLY ON TRANSPORTATION FUEL SPENDING. ADDITIONALLY, MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE DOLLARS SPENT ON ELECTRICITY FOR TRANSPORTATION WOULD STAY IN THE REGION, KEEPING AN EXTRA 5 BILLION RECIRCULATING THROUGH AND SUPPORTING LOCAL ECONOMIES. THIS MEANS THAT BY ELECTRIFYING TRANSPORTATION IN THE SOUTHEAST, WE COULD RETAIN 47 BILLION ANNUALLY IN OUR REGIONAL ECONOMY. WE LEVERAGED THIS REPORT TO GARNER MEDIA ATTENTION AND BOLSTER OUR ADVOCACY PROMOTING LAWMAKER SUPPORT OF POLICIES TO ADVANCE ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION. SECOND, ALONG WITH ATLAS PUBLIC POLICY, WE RELEASED OUR SECOND ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION IN THE SOUTHEAST REPORT, SHOWING IMPRESSIVE GAINS ACROSS MANY MARKET INDICATORS BY LOOKING AT MARKET TRENDS, STATE POLICIES, AND ELECTRIC UTILITY ACTIONS ACROSS ALABAMA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TENNESSEE. " SACE'S SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTION IN DUKES NC PHASE 1 ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION PILOT FILING (APPROVED DECEMBER 2020) SECURED GREATER TRANSPARENCY, STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION, AND EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS. THROUGH OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE SIX-MONTH-LONG, COMMISSION-ORDERED ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATIVE, WE WORKED WITH DUKE, PUBLIC STAFF, AND FELLOW ADVOCATES TO DEVELOP DUKES PHASE 2 PROGRAM TO BETTER REFLECT THE NEED FOR EQUITABLE MOBILITY AND GREATER SUPPORT OF UNDERSERVED COUNTIES AND COMMUNITIES. WHEN THE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS WAS NOT WORKING AND FAILING TO MEET INCLUSIVITY GOALS, WE SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO DUKE AND PUBLIC STAFF TO MAKE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS. WE ALSO SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO DOCKETS THAT EMERGED FROM THE PROCESS, INCLUDING THE NOW APPROVED MAKE READY CREDIT AND THE PENDING PHASE 2 PILOT.

CLIMATE IN APRIL 2021, SACE RELEASED OUR THIRD ANNUAL, "TRACKING DECARBONIZATION IN THE SOUTHEAST" REPORT. ACCORDING TO OUR UPDATED ANALYSIS, UTILITIES IN OUR REGION STILL ARE NOT ONTRACK TO REACH NET-ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2035 OR EVEN 2050 IF THEY CONTINUE AT THEIR HISTORICAL OR PLANNED DECARBONIZATION PACE. "IN MEMPHIS, WHERE RESIDENTS PAY AMONG THE HIGHEST ENERGY BILLS OF ANY MAJOR METRO AREA IN THE COUNTRY, SACE HAS CULTIVATED SUPPORT FOR MORE AFFORDABLE, EQUITABLE, AND CLEAN ENERGY, AND WORKED TO DRIVE MLGWS AND MEMPHIS CITY COUNCILS DECISION TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR A NEW POWER SUPPLY AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THEIR CURRENT SUPPLIER, THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY (TVA). ALTERNATE SUPPLIERS OF ENERGY COULD SAVE MEMPHIS 120-150 MILLION PER YEAR WHILE SWITCHING TO 75% RENEWABLE ENERGY AND REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS BY NEARLY 40% COMPARED TO TVA. OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ARE HELPING DRIVE THE NARRATIVE THAT MEMPHIANS CAN AND SHOULD BENEFIT FROM CLEAN ENERGY. WITH THE MAJOR STEP OF GETTING THE RFP ISSUED BEHIND US, SACE IS NOW CONTINUING A STEADY DRUMBEAT OF CULTIVATING SUPPORT FOR A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE FOR MEMPHIS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT MLGW AND THE MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY OPTIONS SUCH AS SOLAR, STORAGE, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY. FINAL CONTRACTS EXPECTED TO BE AWARDED (SHOULD MLGW DECIDE TO ISSUE NOTICE TO LEAVE TVA) IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 2022." SACE INITIATED A COALITION TO FIGHT TVA'S PLANNED NEW GAS PLANTS AND PIPELINES, WHICH LAUNCHED AS THE CLEAN UP TVA COALITION RECENTLY. WE ARE ALSO BUILDING STATE-LEVEL CAPACITY IN GEORGIA TO ENSURE LONG-TERM SUCCESS REGARDLESS OF WHICH WAY THE FEDERAL POLITICAL WINDS BLOW; AND AS ALWAYS, WORKING STRATEGICALLY TO DEFEND AGAINST ANY PROPOSALS THAT THREATEN OUR REGIONS SAFE AND HEALTHY FUTURE, AND TO PROMOTE SOLAR AND EE TO MEET OUR REGIONS ENERGY NEEDS.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOLLOWING STEADY PRESSURE THROUGH THE DUKE EE COLLABORATIVE AND SACES LITIGATION EFFORTS, DEC AND DEP HAVE ADDED DEEP RETROFIT MEASURES TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD LOW-INCOME EE PROGRAMS, AND DEP IS NOW PREPARING TO IMPLEMENT A NEW PROGRAM THAT WILL INCREASE ITS LOW-INCOME EE BUDGETS AND DELIVER DEEPER SAVINGS TO MORE HOUSEHOLDS. LEVERAGING OUR POSITION IN DOMINION AND DUKES RATE CASES, SACE SECURED 21 MILLION OF SHAREHOLDER FUNDS FOR EXPANSION OF DEEP ENERGY EFFICIENCY (EE) RETROFITS FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS. DUKE ALSO AGREED TO TWO LOW-INCOME EE PILOTS (WHICH WE ARE CO- DESIGNING) AND AN ON-BILL TARIFF PILOT, AND IS CONVENING A LOW-INCOME AFFORDABILITY COLLABORATIVE. THROUGH ANOTHER DOCKET, DUKE IS FINANCIALLY INCENTIVIZED TO DELIVER MORE LOW-INCOME EE SAVINGS. IT IS ALSO CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON LOW-INCOME IMPACT ACROSS ITS ENTIRE PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAMS, AND UNDERTAKING AN ANALYSIS OF NON-ENERGY BENEFITS WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON LOW-INCOME EE. IN JANUARY 2021, WHEN COVID-19 AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS WERE EXACERBATING ENERGY INEQUITY, SACE RELEASED OUR 3RD ANNUAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE SOUTHEASTREPORT EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EFFICIENCY AND THE REGION'S CONSISTENTLY HIGH ENERGY BILLS, LOCAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, AND WAYS COVID-19 ALTERED THE EFFICIENCY LANDSCAPE IN 2020.THE RESULTS INCLUDE THAT JUST THREE UTILITIES DELIVER NEARLY 75% OF ALL EFFICIENCY SAVINGS IN THE SOUTHEAST, WHILE SOME OF THE BIGGEST UTILITIES DO ALMOST NOTHING. SACE IS STRATEGICALLY BRINGING EE INTO OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH MLGW AS IT EVALUATES TERMINATING ITS CONTRACT WITH TVA FOR A SELF-CRAFTED PORTFOLIO, CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL FOR EE TO PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN MLGWS NEW PORTFOLIO IF IT LEAVES TVA. MLGW IS WORKING TO ENSURE THEIR DECISION IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS, WHO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE HIGHEST ENERGY BURDENS IN THE COUNTRY. WE EXPECT A DECISION IN LATE 2022. (SEE ABOVE FOR MORE DETAILS.)

THE SOUTHERN ALLIANCE FOR CLEAN ENERGY PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE ENERGY CHOICES TO ENSURE CLEAN, SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST.