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SRC is a joint effort of the state energy offices of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina to promote energy efficiency. On this Web page, you will find information about the energy offices and energy policies of each state.
Alabama | Florida | Georgia | Mississippi | South Carolina
ALABAMA
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) Energy, Weatherization and Technology (EWT) Division develops and implements energy efficiency programs that are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The State Energy Program (SEP) involves a wide range of mandatory and optional measures targeted toward reducing energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency, and protecting the environment. Programs are conducted in the areas of residential and commercial building energy codes, agriculture energy, energy education, recycling, renewable fuels, performance contracting, and alternative fuel vehicles.
Alabama's focus on energy efficiency in the public sector concentrates on a number of key programs. The state Building Energy Technical Assistance activity helps reduce energy expenditures in public sector facilities by analyzing selected buildings, performing on-site audits, and recommending energy system changes. The Performance Contracting program educates public sector entities on how to obtain and finance new energy-efficient equipment and services and use their utility budget savings to pay for capital energy improvements. The State Buildings Energy Efficiency activity conducts energy efficiency assessments of state government buildings, holds workshops, and provides educational outreach related to the latest energy-efficient technology practices. In the K-12 sector, Alabama's Energy for a Brighter Future K-12 initiative established a curriculum in the public school system that taught students how to conserve energy. Similarly, the Alabama Energy Education Program created a coalition through which teachers, students, and their families are empowered to develop skills that enable them to efficiently manage energy resources. Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is also helping to reduce energy use in rural area schools by implementing energy-saving measures and energy system changes recommended in energy audits through its Retrofits of Schools Program.
FLORIDA
The Florida Energy Office (FEO) is a non-regulatory office of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). It is the state's primary center for energy policy under Governor Charlie Crist. In addition to developing and implementing Florida's energy policy, FEO coordinates all federal energy programs delegated to the state, including energy supply, demand, and conservation.
Through FEO, the State of Florida shapes "Florida's Energy Future," focusing on advanced clean energy sources, energy conservation, and efficiency. Florida is actively leading the nation in projects that promote hydrogen power, solar energy, bio-based fuels, clean vehicles, and energy conservation. During hurricane season and other natural disasters, FEO coordinates fuel supply and fuel requests from local governments, law enforcement, and healthcare facilities throughout the state. Through FEO, Florida is leading by example to diversify the economy, streamline and modernize government regulations, and provide assistance to communities and underprivileged families.
Conserving energy is the easiest way to preserve Florida's energy supply and protect the environment. Each of us plays a role in energy conservation – business owners, employees, and consumers. The State of Florida's energy policy is guided by the 2006 Florida Energy Plan, which was passed by the 2006 Florida legislature as Senate Bill 888. The bill created the Florida Renewable Energy Technologies & Energy Efficiency Act and the Florida Energy Commission. The bill establishes the Renewable Energy Technologies Grants Program, the Solar Energy System Incentives Program, and provides a sales tax holiday for energy efficient products. In addition, the bill amends the Florida Power Plant Siting Act to streamline permits for new power plants and promote the use and development of biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen, and other renewable fuels.
Florida has many energy efficiency programs, several of which are dedicated to the K-12 sector's aim to educate children through fun, hands-on activities. Geared towards school officials and students, the online Utility Report Card (URC) is a Web-based Energy Information System that reports and graphs monthly utility data for schools. URC allows schools to compare their electricity usage (energy efficiency) and to identify schools with high energy consumption.
GEORGIA
The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) administers a variety of programs and services to assist local governments, state agencies, and non-profits in the areas of water and wastewater, solid waste, energy efficiency, recycling, and fuel storage tank removal. GEFA's mission is to develop, market, and finance progressive energy efficiency and environmental programs utilizing the latest technology and expanding programmatic focus for all Georgians.
Under its Energy Resources Division, GEFA provides assistance to low income and elderly persons to help make their homes more energy efficient, thereby lowering utility bills. In addition, the Energy Division works with other state agencies, universities, and non-profits to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy in Georgia.
Georgia's goals for its energy efficiency programs are two-fold: to help analyze and implement energy-saving projects in the public sector and impact the energy efficiency of a school construction boom. To address energy use in the public sector, Georgia created the Rebuild Atlanta Partnership. This state energy program helps facility managers establish and maintain effective communications between departments, educate facility managers on energy-saving preventative maintenance techniques, and develop best practice guidelines. With Georgia presently spending $5 billion over 5 years on the construction of new schools, Southface Energy Institute and Georgia have partnered to create a program targeted to work with 20 school systems, or 250 school buildings, to help reduce energy use and increase cost savings. The goals of the project are to provide free energy data analysis, access to technical assistance, and participation in energy efficiency demonstration projects.
MISSISSIPPI
Through its programs and activities, the Mississippi Development Authority-Energy Division (MDA-ED) promotes the efficient and environmentally acceptable use of energy in all sectors of the state's economy. The Energy Division also encourages an environment that enhances the state's access to cost-competitive, available energy resources, ultimately benefiting economic development in Mississippi.
The MDA-ED includes an Industries of the Future program, which provides technical assistance and energy audits to the industrial sector in the development of an energy management plan to reduce energy consumption. The MDA-ED partners with ENERGY STAR and provides information to the extension services and community organizations on ENERGY STAR appliances. The MDA-ED also provides information on alternative energy and promotes the utilization of solar water heaters in buildings.
MDA-ED Rebuild Mississippi program provides technical assistance to partners on energy efficiency within their respective communities. Rebuild Mississippi helps a community-based partnership choose the best way to improve their communities and supports them with a national network of technical and business experts, resource materials, and access to innovative solutions.
MDA-ED is lead agency in response to energy emergencies. The Energy Emergency Management and Homeland Security program coordinates an emergency plan in the event of energy shortages.
MDA-ED, through its programs and activities was instrumental in the creation of two organizations — the Mississippi Energy Coordinators Associations (MECA), a medium for which to exchange information in order to increase knowledge about energy efficiency and the environment; and the Mississippi Biomass Council, which serves as a forum to share information for the purpose of assessing the biomass energy and fuel resources within the state, facilitating the utilization of biomass technology, and encouraging biomass related economic development.
Mississippi's State Energy Management Program (SEMP), mandated by the State Energy Management Law of 1981, has a mission of helping state agencies, institutions, and public school districts reduce energy use in all state buildings and facilities; manage utility costs; and promote renewable energy. Under the SEMP, the MDA-ED performs energy audits and conducts training workshops in energy efficiency and also provides training and technical assistance to energy coordinators to develop and implement energy management plans. SEMP collects energy management plans on approximately 1,200 buildings every five years and provides technical assistance with the development of a tracking and monitoring system for public school districts.
The State of Mississippi has also established the following energy-related programs: the State Energy Management Award Program (SEMAP), a program that recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding conservation and energy efficiency best practices; the Energy Investment Loan program, which provides financial assistance in the form of a loan to individuals, partnerships, or corporations for either capital improvements or the design and development of innovative energy conservation processes. Section 31-7-14 of the Mississippi Code allows the public sector to lease-purchase energy efficiency services and/or equipment for up to ten (10) years. Through the Energy Efficiency Lease program, public entities have access to pre-arranged, tax-exempt lease purchase financing. Specifically in the K-12 sector, the Energy Network program is committed to helping students become more energy-smart by providing educational materials and resources on a variety of energy topics.
SOUTH CAROLINA
The South Carolina Energy Office (SCEO) promotes energy efficiency in government agencies and public schools by encouraging them to measure their energy use, analyze their building envelopes and mechanical systems, incorporate energy improvements into their master plans, and implement energy-saving measures. In addition, SCEO provides grants and loans to encourage installation of energy-efficient equipment and capital improvements in state agencies.
A major component of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Facilities Program is the Rebuild South Carolina project to assist public organizations in energy management. Organizations establish baseline measures for energy use, and SCEO provides assistance in tracking energy consumption data for public agencies and school districts. Organizations become Rebuild South Carolina (RBSC) Partners, providing them with full-service energy management coordination. Contracted engineers provide audits of facilities that specify areas where physical and operational improvements can be made. SCEO staff members work with the auditors, the organizations' energy managers, and necessary public officials to review the audits, make recommendations, and move to implementation.
South Carolina offers a variety of programs that seek to increase energy efficiency understanding. The South Carolina Energy Office provides a wide range of energy materials for teachers, parents, and students in South Carolina. The South Carolina Institute for Energy Studies promotes energy research and development in support of the state. The goal is to transfer energy technology developed by others to South Carolina applications, to contribute to national energy issues in areas of excellence, and to promote state-wide energy education activities. South Carolina also offers a loan program dedicated to energy efficiency. The South Carolina Conserfund Loan Program offers 5% maximum interest rate loans to state and local governments, schools and colleges, hospitals, and other nonprofit organizations for energy-efficiency improvements.