Progress making progress with low-income energy efficiency program

This blog was written by SACE intern Jeannie McKinney and Natalie Mims. Finding best practices in utility-led energy efficiency programs usually means looking beyond our region. Sadly, most of the leading programs are developed and demonstrated by peer utilities in other regions of the U.S. It has been particularly distressing to see that the great [...]

Driving energy efficiency too slow

Just a brief update for those who are interested in why Florida is moving so slowly on energy efficiency. As recently noted by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, “regulators in Florida … took actions to render their energy savings target ineffective.” Similarly in response, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is protesting [...]

A fresh look at the buyer of last resort, PURPA

For over a decade, states have been coasting along with policies that affect the market for key energy resources: small renewable energy generators and companies that practice cogeneration (also known as energy recycling, or combined heat and power). As advocates for consumer-friendly energy efficiency, we’ve learned that these same policies affect energy efficiency, particularly what [...]

Southeast is movin on up in ACEEE state scorecard ranking

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE ) released their 5th annual state scorecard on energy efficiency yesterday and the results, not surprisingly, support that the efficiency sector continues to grow and create jobs. The report found that the nationwide budget for electricity efficiency programs increased $1.1 billion from 2009 to 2010, and [...]

2011 Solar Home Tour makes Stop at Smith Residence

Knoxville’s 2011 Solar Home Tour is October 22. SACE is excited about this year’s annual tour, and welcomes the recent expansion of solar energy development in east Tennessee. I am especially excited to offer my home as one of the stops along the tour. Our objective is to have a net-zero home, and between our [...]

Energy Awareness Month: Save Energy With Simple Tips for the Home

As the third in a series of blogs during Energy Awareness Month, this post explores simple energy savings tips for your home. Since 1991, the federal government has recognized October as Energy Awareness Month. SACE is taking this opportunity to focus on how we can all reduce energy use in our everyday lives. Before we [...]

Turn Words into Action; Turn Action into Results

This guest post was authored by Danielle Matheson, Campus Program Communications Intern for the Southern Energy Network (SEN). Energy Awareness Month is happening now and for the rest of October! There are so many different ways to take action either on a college campus, through an organization or taking steps your self to conserve and use [...]

Energy Awareness Month: Save Energy with Home Retrofits for Less Than $300

As the first in a series of blogs during Energy Awareness Month, this post will look at do-it-yourself home energy retrofits for less than $300. In 1991, the federal government designated October as Energy Awareness Month. This annual event serves as a reminder to focus on how we, as individuals, can reduce energy use in [...]

Solar Decathlon impresses despite nasty weather

All week last week, while traveling to Denver for a conference by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, I was looking forward to the Solar Decathlon. (No offense to ACEEE of course.) Even on Friday, when the weather was best described as “questionable,” it was a great feeling to walk across the D.C. [...]

Georgia Power and Efficiency – Not Out of the Bottom Yet

This blog was written by SACE intern Jeannie McKinney and Natalie Mims. According to their second quarter report for 2011,*Georgia Power Company (GPC) has only accomplished 9 percent of their annual energy savings goal for the current year. In an effort to help their state “out of the bottom of national and regional comparisons on [...]