Environmental Groups Attempt to Debunk Southeast Renewable Shortage Myth

A report released this week by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy attempts to discredit the belief that the Southeast lacks renewable energy options. It also charts a plan for states to meet 25% of power demand through renewable sources by 2025.

First the myth, according Southern Alliance director Stephen Smith.

“In the Great Plains, people say it’s all about wind. In the desert Southwest, people say it’s all about solar. Well, the actuality is in the Southeast, we have a good mix of all of those and others.”

As recently as 2006, Tennessee was producing 7% of its electricity through renewable sources, mostly hydropower from TVA dams. That’s better than the southeast average, but the report says Tennessee has even more hydropower potential, more than any other state in the region. Still, to get to the 25% renewable mark, utilities like TVA would have to try wind and solar generation on a larger scale and convert coal plants to burn biomass and wood waste.

Stephen Smith says power companies have tended to stick with coal and nuclear plants because their output is more predictable and constant than mother nature. Smith says, however, a number of different renewable power sources could even out the peaks and valleys.

The Southern Alliance report suggests utilities will need tax breaks and firm targets to jump with both feet into renewable energy.

View the report.