Southern Renewable Energy Association

Yesterday, members of the SREA team proudly witnessed the groundbreaking of Treaty Oak Clean Energy’s latest renewable energy project in Redfield, Ark. This project not only represents a significant investment in renewable energy but also promises to create jobs and drive economic growth in our local area ?? By the numbers: ? 100 megawatt project spanning 1,033 acres in Grant County ? Will create approx 200 construction jobs ? Will generate more than $10 mil in property tax revenue over its lifetime ? Total energy output - enough to power about 18,000 homes ? Slated to begin operation in 2026

? The clean energy pipeline is ROBUST: 175 GW of clean power projects are currently in development or under construction across America. This includes 40 GW of wind projects (with 20 GW under construction) and massive solar and storage growth. The momentum is unstoppable. Read more in American Clean Power Association (ACP)’s new 2024 market snapshot. https://lnkd.in/eTY-vk6m #CleanEnergyFuture #AmericanEnergy

Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) aims for four new #transmission planning futures in nine months. Officials said data center load growth, AI computing and domestic manufacturing is making it clear that the current 20-year futures that form the basis of MISO's LRTP is outdated. MISO’s proposed four, 20-year futures include: ? A “lower load growth” scenario, in which demand projections don’t materialize due to an economic slowdown, and some utilities and states’ emissions reductions announcements are unrealized. ? A “stated policy” future, in which estimated trends like reindustrialization, data center growth and electrification hold steady while members expand generation and meet their current emissions goals. ? A “higher load growth” future, in which supply needs inch beyond today’s forecasts driven by high-powered load. ? A “supply shift” future, in which MISO said “supply frictions” limit the pace of generation additions and load growth has to be managed through existing generation and demand-side resources. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eJEmhkMc

Excited to see that Clearloop is teaming with Microsoft to build three, 100 MW renewable energy projects in Arkansas over the next three years. According to Arkansas Business Publishing Group, the projects in Arkansas are among 20 planned for “historically underinvested communities," the release said. The new solar portfolio will be developed, owned and operated by SREA member Silicon Ranch Corporation. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eF5aJ5qk

Data centers are becoming an increasingly important part of the #grid conversation in the Southeast due to our region's favorable climate and generally lower energy costs. Companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft are investing in states across the Southeast, positioning our home as a hub for these operations. The question for leaders in these states now should pivot to "How do we build data centers without raising grid costs and how do we meet this demand?" Part three of Canary Media Inc.'s series on what data centers could do to the US grid explores what this could look like. "Utilities, regulators, and policymakers are scrambling to keep pace. If they mismanage their response, it could lead to higher utility bills for customers and far more carbon emissions. But this mad dash for power could also push the U.S. toward a?cleaner and cheaper grid — if tech giants and other data center developers decide to treat the looming power crunch as a?clean-power opportunity." Read through series and catch up on energy news in the Southeast: https://bit.ly/4h1nxLA

Verite News New Orleans this week tells us a story about a tuition-free program at Nunez Community College that is training students to become wind technicians. Both students and industry professionals emphasized that Louisiana needs clean energy to meet a?burgeoning demand, especially as Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, seeks to build an energy-expensive?AI data center in Richland Parish. The facility would require around 1,500 MW of electricity, which Meta?has pledged?to match with an equal amount of clean energy. But that goal is over five times higher than Entergy Louisiana’s current?clean energy capacity. Offshore wind could help bridge the gap. Read more at Verite's website: https://bit.ly/3Da8i54

Who’s ready for RE+ Microgrids? SREA is excited to announce our partnership with #REPlusMicrogrids in New Orleans, March 19-20! Learn more about REPlusMicrogrids and register today at: re-plus.events/microgrids.

63 GW of utility-scale generation capacity will be brought online this year, of which, 81% of said capacity will be solar and battery storage. The 63 GW "represents an almost 30% increase from 2024 when 48.6 GW of capacity was installed, the largest capacity installation in a single year since 2002," officials with the Energy Information Administration said. In 2024, power providers added a record 10.3 GW of new battery storage capacity and EIA projects this growth could almost double to an addition of 18.2 GW in 2025.?The rest of the anticipated 63 GW will be made up of an added 4.4 GW of natural gas, and an added 7.7 GW of wind. Read more ↓ https://bit.ly/3QAMwKV

SREA congratulates Commissioner Justin Tate on his reappointment to the Arkansas Public Service Commission by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. This decision reflects the Governor’s steadfast commitment to ensuring reliable, affordable energy for #Arkansas. We commend Commissioner Tate for his continued leadership and dedication to advancing the state’s energy future. SREA looks forward to working alongside both Commissioner Tate and Governor Sanders to support Arkansas’ energy growth and sustainability. https://lnkd.in/eKikryES

What is it we're not getting about #transmission, ClearPath CEO Jeremy Harrell was asked during the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing? "We need to build out more wires, and that's not just about renewables," he said. "The scale of rising demand and the amount of new generation we're going to have to build - potentially the size of the Texas #grid, at a minimum over the next decade, doubling the US grid over the decade - we're going to need to connect a lot of new resources." Listen to his full remarks ??