Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

Protecting federal clean energy legislation is more important than ever. This month, we will be helping our members tell their elected Congressional members to protect and expand clean energy programs and incentives. If able, please consider donating to support this urgent work: ow.ly/qYx450URfqP

From a conservative Florida county switching to electric school buses to Tennessee refusing to pump the brakes on its EV charger program, the #CleanEnergyGeneration is making progress every day here in the Southeast. Take a look at just six of the many signs of progress ??

?? ACTION ALERT: It's Pi Day and way more than 3.14 jobs are on the line. Send an email to your members of Congress today, asking them to protect federal clean energy legislation like clean energy tax credits: ow.ly/7LZa50VcRJo Here's what this administration is threatening to slice ??: ?? Billions in clean energy investments toward the Southeast that create thousands of good-paying jobs ?? Tax credits that have allowed hundreds of thousands of Southeast households, including low-income households, to lower their utility bills ?? Funds that have created cleaner air for our children to breathe by making it easier to swap polluting energy sources with clean solutions #PiDay

Ever been to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory? Me neither, but touring the Thomas Built Buses plant in High Point, NC, to watch electric buses being built was almost as fun for this #EV geek. We spent a few hours watching it all come together, from robotic sheet metal fabrication to the welding of the body, the sci-fi-worthy paint room, the installation of flooring, windows, and seats, the joining of the body to the chassis, and the electric school bus plugging in to the on-site charging hub. The union plant's smooth operation and the teamwork on the floor were impressive. Thomas Built builds electric and diesel buses on the same production line, one after another. The only difference is whether the body is affixed to a chassis equipped with a clean and efficient electric drive train or a dirty and inefficient diesel drive train. And yes, I have a bias, having rode on a diesel exhaust-scented school bus for 12 years. Pee-yew! That is why school buses are my favorite use case for EVs. Electric school buses measurably improve the air quality our bus-riding children breathe daily while, as with all #EVs, reducing climate pollution and lowering operational expenses. School bus regulations ensure that buses are built exceptionally well to keep kids safe from crashes, but they do nothing to protect kids from breathing toxic exhaust. I dream my grandkids (no pressure, kiddos) will ride electric buses and never know that smell. Thanks to Chris Foster at Thomas Built and Roy Parks at Carolina Thomas, LLC, for the tour! #electricvehicles #electricschoolbuses #manufacturing #transportation #climateaction #publichealth #cleanenergygeneration

#EVs have unfortunately become political hot potatoes. Advocates from red and purple Southeastern states are telling our representatives that politicizing the technology will significantly impact private-sector investments and jobs in EVs and?batteries. At stake for the Southeast: $81.2 billion in EV and battery investments, representing 38% of the national total and anticipated to deliver 75,100 jobs. From Canary Media Inc.'s article below: "We're trying to remind representatives who have a?stake in this, most of whom are Republicans, that real harm may come to their constituents if these tax credits are taken away," said Stan Cross, electric transportation director with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Cross pointed to?data from Atlas Public Policy and Utah State University?showing that nearly three-quarters of the nation's $276?billion in clean energy manufacturing investments are in districts represented by Republicans. With Republicans retaining an extremely narrow majority in Washington, even a?single vote could tip the scales, Cross?said.?"Some of the votes are going to be fifty-fifty votes," he said.?"So, there are points at which an individual representative going one way or another could be meaningful." Thanks to Elizabeth Ouzts for her reporting! #ev #electricvehicles #jobs #climateaction #cleanenergygeneration

We ALL play a role in the Clean Energy Generation ?? The #CleanEnergyGeneration is a diverse movement of individuals of all ages and abilities, united in addressing the climate crisis. Together, we’re securing the healthier, safer future that our families, communities, and planet deserve. Find out how you can join: bit.ly/JoinCEG

The Southeast has long underused energy efficiency programs that would offer significant cost savings for both customers and utilities??The Palmetto State, unfortunately, is no exception. So what do these percentages mean? Energy savings are often measured in megawatt hours and then expressed as a percentage of the amount of energy sold by a utility or within a state. In the Southeast, 1% is often considered a respectable benchmark for energy efficiency performance. To learn how YOUR state stacks up, check out our latest "Energy Efficiency in the Southeast" report: bit.ly/SACEEEReport24LP

“We’re trying to remind representatives who have a?stake in this, most of whom are Republicans, that real harm may come to their constituents if these tax credits are taken away,” said Stan Cross, electric transportation director with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Cross pointed to?data from Atlas Public Policy and Utah State University?showing that nearly three-quarters of the nation’s $276?billion in clean energy manufacturing investments are in districts represented by Republicans." https://lnkd.in/gk9JcVK9

WEBINAR: The South’s potential data center boom and projected load growth are raising serious questions about how we power these massive facilities, with new proposals for methane gas pipelines and generation promising cheap gas for tech companies — potentially at a high cost (and at significant risk) to southern consumers. Last week, SELC’s Senior Attorney Megan Gibson joined the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to discuss the key findings of SACE’s new paper, “Southeast Electric Bills Are Paying for a Highway to Export Gas” and examine the relationship between load growth, fossil gas plants and pipelines, LNG export, and consumer electricity bills. Watch the webinar here: https://selc.link/4i8XiE5 #ClimateChange #LNG #MethaneGas

The solar industry is currently 69% male and 73% white. This Women's History Month, women like Olivia Amyette show why women's voices are essential to saving our planet. #WomensHistoryMonth Infinite Energy Advisors