More Alabama Power customers signing up to support renewable energy
Alabama Power's Greener State program makes it easier than ever for its customers to support renewable energy such as solar power. (Phil Free/Alabama NewsCenter)
Alabama Power customers are choosing to support renewable energy through a new program that makes it easy and affordable.
Greener State, by Alabama Power, offers customers an economical way to support renewable energy by choosing among three pre-built plans, or creating their own custom plan. The program helps customers power their homes with renewable energy through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates, or RECs. Under the program, customers who purchase RECs can match their electrical usage with renewable energy and claim ownership of a specific amount of renewable energy going to the Alabama Power grid.
The three pre-built plans — named Leaf, Tree and Forest — match customers with different amounts and types of renewable energy. For example, customers who enroll in the Forest plan for $15 a month get 12,000 kWh of renewable energy generated from Alabama sources – an amount roughly equal to the energy used by a typical Alabama home. Customers also have the option to customize their plan, purchasing enough renewable energy to match their individual usage or more. The cost of the plan is in addition to a customer’s normal power bill.
The program is also available to commercial customers and small businesses.
“Greener State is an answer for our customers who are looking for a convenient and easy way to support renewable energy at a cost that fits their needs. It’s one more way we can serve them and meet their goals,” said Anthony Oni, Alabama Power’s director of Digital Strategy.
Since mid-2017, the number of Alabama Power residential customers who’ve signed up for Greener State has more than doubled.
“Purchasing RECs helps boost the market for renewable energy, encouraging development of more renewable energy projects,” said John Kelley, Alabama Power’s director of Forecasting and Resource Planning.
Large businesses and industrial customers of Alabama Power also have been investing in renewable energy. Last December, one of the state’s largest solar energy facilities began operating in Chambers County, in partnership with Alabama Power. Most of the energy and RECs from the AL Solar A project are going to serve Walmart within Alabama Power’s service territory. The remaining energy and RECs from the project are being marketed by Alabama Power to existing and potential customers. The project was among 50 green initiatives highlighted in the April 15, Earth Day edition of Parade Magazine online.
“Sourcing renewable energy from the AL Solar A project plays a crucially important role in providing power for Walmart facilities throughout Alabama,” Steve Chriss, director of Energy and Strategy Analysis for Walmart, said in a news release about the project. “The energy procured from AL Solar A will significantly contribute to Walmart’s sustainability goals and serve as a benchmark for our ongoing renewable energy efforts.”
In addition to its partnership on the AL Solar A project, Alabama Power completed construction on two solar projects last year, at Anniston Army Depot and Fort Rucker. The energy and RECs from these projects are being used to serve Greener State customers.
To learn more about Greener State, please visit www.greenerstate.com. And if you are in the Birmingham area on Saturday morning, April 21, come by the farmers’ market at Pepper Place, 2829 Second Ave. South, where representatives of Greener State will have an information booth.
