DEKALB COUNTY MOVES TO 100% CLEAN ENERGY WITH SOUTHFACE INSTITUTE

Atlanta-Based Nonprofit to Develop Roadmap to Eco-Friendly Future

DEKALB COUNTY, GA (July 31, 2023) -– As part of widespread efforts to improve sustainability in DeKalb County under the Clean Energy Transition Plan, Southface Institute, an Atlanta-based sustainable building nonprofit, has been selected to steer the county towards a future of 100% clean energy, defined as energy produced through means that do not directly pollute the atmosphere. Southface will develop an extensive energy transition plan to be presented to county leadership by August 2024 and will partner with four other organizations – Atlanta-based Cherry Street Energy, Atlanta-based Clean Cities Georgia, Atlanta-based IB Environmental, and Maryland based Energetics.

“Southface is excited to continue working with DeKalb County to set and achieve ambitious goals that benefit residents, businesses, community services, and the environment,” said James Marlow, President of Southface Institute. “With county staff, Clean Cities Georgia, Cherry Street Energy, and other sustainability leaders collaborating, this outstanding team has what it takes to make a real impact.”

Components of this transition plan will include recommendations on how to enhance the use of solar energy in municipal buildings, increase the number of clean energy vehicles, increase equity, and address “energy burdens” (the percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs) within the county. It will also include strategic opportunities for public education, which will begin as early as fall 2023. The funding for the plan came from the 2022 Fiscal Year General Fund Budget, an agenda item sponsored by District 6.

This partnership and plan development is another step towards making DeKalb a 100% clean energy county, a commitment the Board of Commissioners made in 2021 via unanimous vote. The 2021 resolution calls for the county to transition to use 50% renewable energy by 2025, and 100% by 2035. By 2045, the county would be using 100% clean energy community-wide.

DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry, a longtime environmental activist, champion of the Clean Energy Transition Plan, and leader of the DeKalb Green New Deal movement, says the partnership with Southface is a thrilling development that he’s been eagerly awaiting.

“Passing our transition plan in 2021 was a historic achievement. I knew even then that Southface was the right group for the job,” Commissioner Terry said. “Now and future generations need an action plan to save our planet, and that is exactly what we are developing with Southface and other tremendous environmental leaders. Together, we will make DeKalb a greener, more equitable place for all.”

Work on this yearlong project has already begun, partnering first with Energetics and IB Environmental to inventory greenhouse gas usage by government facilities and vehicles. Southface Institute will announce its initial public education and discussion sessions in August, allowing community members to get involved in this monumental process for the county.

Additional Partner Quotes:

As a small, local firm, IB Environmental is excited to be part of this project. Assessing and promoting energy equity for DeKalb County residents resonates deeply with our mission to increase the appreciation for water and energy resources, while promoting sound environmental policy through research, education, and action. We are looking forward to working with our partners Southface, Energetics, and Cherry Street to improve energy efficiency and low-emission strategies in DeKalb County.

-Stacey Isaac Berahzer, Founder and CEO, IB Environmental

“Energetics has a long history of supporting energy resilience planning and the development of clean transportation solutions, and we’re looking forward to working on solutions that impact the citizens of DeKalb County. We are equally excited to partner with Southface, Clean Cities Georgia, IB Environmental, and Cherry Street Energy to contribute our expertise to the development of the County’s Clean Energy Transportation Transition Plan.”

-Walt Zalis, Program Director, Energetics Inc.

“Clean Cities Georgia is excited to partner with DeKalb County on their Clean Energy Transportation Transition Plan. We have assembled knowledgeable partners with Southface, IB Environmental, Cherry Street Energy and Energetics. DeKalb is leading in developing sustainable buildings and transportation infrastructure. We think this is a model that can be replicated with other municipalities.”

 -Frank Morris, Executive Director, Clean Cities Georgia

“The Cherry Street Energy team is thrilled to support DeKalb County in its pursuit of this meaningful 100% clean energy goal. This project shows the leadership and commitment necessary to find impact for the community in the transition to renewable energy.”

-Michael Chanin, CEO, Cherry Street Energy

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ABOUT Southface Institute

ABOUT DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry

Contact: Kelly Cato, Chief of Staff, DeKalb County, District 6, kecato@dekalbcountyga.gov

Press Contact: Kae Holloway, Publicist, kholloway@pineapple-pr.com

Decatur mayor, local leaders tout clean energy investments in the state

Originally published in Decaturish

Decatur, GA — Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett and local leaders, including DeKalb Commissioner Ted Terry, celebrated the federal investments being made in Georgia related to clean energy during a press conference on April 11 at the Decatur Recreation Center.

Georgia has been allotted about $83 million in federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Local cities and counties like Decatur and DeKalb County haven’t received federal funds yet, but can apply for grants through various agencies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the state Environmental Protection Division and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to a press release, these investments will improve energy efficiency, accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy, and lower energy costs for Georgia families with the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).

“I am thrilled to celebrate these historic federal clean energy investments that will advance our plans to cut pollution, lower our operational costs, and lower energy costs for our communities,” Garrett said in the press release. “Decatur has ambitious sustainability goals to meet in the coming years, including a total transition to clean energy for our municipal and community buildings, and weatherization efforts that reduce energy usage are key to meeting our targets and making our communities more resilient to a changing climate.”

Decatur is developing a comprehensive strategy to utilize federal funds, mobilize the community, and implement clean energy measures. The city of Decatur recently adopted its clean energy plan, which sets goals for the city to transition away from fossil fuels and toward a resilient, renewable future.

“This document, Decatur’s Clean Energy Plan, is intended to guide Decatur’s energy transition and address the city’s contributions to the climate crisis while also improving living conditions and addressing equity issues,” the executive summary of the plan states. “This plan describes a path to a Clean Energy Future while facing an aggressive goal and conditions outside of Decatur’s control.”

When the city was working on the 2030 Strategic Plan, climate action became a top priority.

“Acting on a key recommendation of the city’s clean energy plan, the city is working to create a community energy fund to complement the available federal funding to support low and moderate income households and their ability to take advantage of these programs,” Garrett said during the press conference.

Every year during the city’s Martin Luther King Service project, volunteers do minor repairs on homes of seniors and part of that includes weatherization.

“We want to expand that program and also work with our land trust to be able to make sure we’re meeting the needs in the community that don’t have access to the funding for putting in insulation or replacing systems and those kinds of things. We’re using the time now as grants are being released [to see] what are we a city eligible for,” Garrett said.

During the press conference, speakers highlighted how federal funding will address the needs of communities with access to fewer resources.

“Today, we’re shining a light on a critical component of Georgia’s plans to significantly reduce our energy consumption, and create a lifeline for many through efficient, effective home weatherization,” Terry said in the press release. “The expansion of programs like WAP, which help low-income families reduce their energy bills, will have a profound impact on those communities that are on the front lines of a housing crisis and facing increasing costs to cool and heat their homes.”

Weatherization is a key aspect of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Terry said during the press conference.

“It’s the process of making homes and buildings more energy efficient, which in turn reduces the amount of energy required to heat and cool them,” Terry said. “It’s achieved through a combination of very basic things, including sealing air leaks, insulating walls and attics, and upgrading the heating and cooling systems. The benefits of weatherization are numerous. For one, it saves homeowners money on their energy bills.”

He added that weatherization reduces one’s carbon footprint and creates jobs as it requires skilled professionals to carry out the work.

“Finally, it’s not just about saving money or reducing our impact on the environment, it’s also a matter of social justice,” Terry said.

Local funding through DeKalb County and the American Rescue Plan Act has gone toward weatherizing homes in Clarkston and South DeKalb. The Empower Clarkston program, which is run through the Tekton Training Center, has been expanded with help from the county’s APRA funding.

“The program is aimed at training refugees from the immigrant community as well, and communities that have been impacted by COVID-19,” said Malek Alarmash, program manager at Tekton Training Center. “The training program focuses on trade skills and includes specialized trainings such as the Empower Clarkston program.”

The 14-week program is centered around green construction and efficiency training, which includes identifying and addressing energy needs and plumbing issues. In 2021, the Empower Clarkston program trained 15 people and assisted 15 homeowners.

“The program’s impact was demonstrated through data which showed a significant reduction in power bills and amounting in approximately $700 in energy savings per year. This represents a significant cost savings of more than 33%,” Alarmash said.

Tekton will be working on 20 homes in DeKalb and has been recruiting trainees and homeowners to participate in the Empower Clarkston program.

The Rev. William Flippin Jr., added that weatherization is a critical tool in fighting climate change, and it improves the wellbeing of communities by reducing greenhouse pollutants.

“Legislation that expands and makes these energy efficiency efforts accessible to all is the inclusive and expansive approach that we need to meet the climate change challenge,” Flippin said.

In addition to highlighting the tangible benefits realized in these laws, speakers also urged federal leaders to further expand on them to reduce carbon pollution.

Advocates call for faster climate action as Georgia Power hearings begin

Originally published by WABE

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with WABE and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

As long as it works, a lot of people don’t think much about electricity beyond paying the bill. Plug something in, flip a switch, it turns on. But how that power is generated can have big consequences — for people’s power bills and for the planet. 

There are lots of ways to make electricity: burning coal, gas, oil or wood; harnessing the power of the sun, the wind or running water; or using nuclear reactions. 

Georgia Power, the state’s largest utility, uses all of them. And beginning next week, state regulators will hold a series of hearings to decide which of those sources to increase and which to phase out, laying out where most Georgians will get their electricity for the next 20 years. 

“We have a diversified generation system in Georgia that gives us reliable, affordable and clean energy down the road,” said Bubba McDonald, one of the five Public Service Commissioners that will have the final say over Georgia Power’s Integrated Resource Plan, or IRP.

The utility plans for the future

The biggest changes Georgia Power wants to make are shutting down coal and adding solar. By 2030, the company plans to get nearly a third of its electricity from the sun, up from just 11% this year. 

“We are showing how we are growing the level of renewable energy in our state and responding to the fast-changing needs of our customers while also protecting the environment and the communities we serve,” said Georgia Power President and CEO Chris Womack.

Renewable energy — like solar and wind — is key, because burning coal, gas or oil creates the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change. Scientists say people everywhere have to quickly and sharply cut down on those energy sources to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Despite the new solar, Bryan Jacob of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy [SACE] said this plan isn’t good enough.

“The bad news is that Georgia Power has proposed as much fossil gas resource in this IRP as they did renewables,” he said.

While the proportion of renewables is going up, the company still plans to get a lot of its power from gas in 2030 — just as it does now. Jacob’s group is one of several hoping to change that.

Georgia Power’s plan is essentially a first draft. Before the Public Service Commission approves it, they’ll hear from environmental and clean energy organizations, consumer groups, companies that use a lot of energy and even a gas company.

Advocates push for changes

Along with calling for more energy from renewable sources, groups intervening in the IRP process plan to push for more energy efficiency programs and to raise other questions, not just about environmental concerns, but also about the costs to Georgia Power customers.

“While energy efficiency continues to be a least-cost resource, the utility is failing to pursue energy saving opportunities at levels that would bring the greatest value to customers,” said Forest Bradley-Wright of SACE.

The idea is that it’s cheaper to save energy than it is to make it. Georgia Power customers can lower their power bills by making changes that help them use less electricity: better insulation, more efficient heating and cooling systems, smart thermostats.

The utility’s proposal does call energy efficiency “a priority resource” and seeks to extend current energy efficiency pilot programs, but advocates said the company should do more.

“Georgia Power continues to lag national and regional peers in annual efficiency savings, which average two to three times higher than Georgia Power’s delivery,” Bradley-Wright said.

The power company’s plan also calls for more energy storage, which is vital for using more renewables. Solar farms, for instance, only generate electricity when the sun is shining, so it’s important to store the extra energy for use when it’s dark or cloudy.

According to the proposal, Georgia Power aims to own and operate 1,000 megawatts of storage capacity by 2030.

“Georgia Power wants to do it all themselves. So the question is, if you do need all of this storage, how much is that going to cost? And would the cost for doing that be cheaper if you allow third party non-incumbents to develop that?” said Katie Southworth of Southface Institute, a sustainability organization that’s intervening in the IRP.

Southworth also raised questions beyond climate concerns about Georgia Power’s plans to keep relying heavily on gas. She pointed to volatile natural gas prices on the global market — a concern in the headlines lately due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and to problems with gas-powered electricity in Texas following a devastating winter storm.

“Continuing to beat the drum that [gas] is reliable and affordable, will always show up, you know, we’re seeing in real time that in the last few years, that has not been the case,” Southworth said.

Local governments get involved

For the first time this year, cities and counties that have made their own clean energy commitments are getting involved in the IRP process, too. Atlanta, Savannah, Athens, Decatur and DeKalb, and Fulton Counties are all intervening together. 

“There’s only so much that the government, the local governments can do,” said DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry. He said local governments like his have the power to make some changes, like adding “our own electric vehicles, solar installations on government property, on fire stations, on libraries, on wastewater treatment plant lands.”

But Georgia Power is the only electricity provider in most of the state. If cities and counties can’t buy enough renewable energy from the utility, they can’t reach their goals.

Terry is optimistic about the process, because Georgia Power’s parent company, Southern Company, has announced the same clean energy goal as DeKalb County: net zero emissions by 2050.

“We all agree on the goal. Now we now need to get to the plan,” Terry said.

The PSC has a lot of power to shape that plan, which is updated every three years. Much of Georgia Power’s explosive increase in solar in recent years happened because the commission called for it. 

Several rounds of hearings are scheduled on Georgia Power’s Integrated Resource Plan over the next few months. The PSC will make its final decision at the end of July.