Investing in Renewable Energy

Georgia Power is committed to looking for better ways to generate electricity while minimizing environmental impact. We are in the process of building one of the nation's largest biomass projects. We offer green energy options to our customers and we are researching renewable technologies all in an effort to preserve the environment and strengthen the communities in which we live, work and serve.

Developing One of the Nation's Largest Biomass Projects
Georgia Power will develop one of the largest biomass power plants in the nation at Plant Mitchell near Albany. The company plans to retrofit the single coal-fired unit at Mitchell to burn wood chips starting in 2012. The project would convert a 155-megawatt unit that has been operating since 1964 into a 96-megawatt, biomass-fired boiler.

The project will take advantage of currently unused waste from logging operations. That includes tree tops, limbs, forest residue and "low-value timber," which consists of trees that are thinned out. Burning wood instead of coal will reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Woody biomass is considered to be "carbon neutral," since it simply returns to the atmosphere the carbon dioxide that was absorbed as plants grew and that would be released anyway at some point - meaning there is no net release of CO2 if the cycle of growth and harvest is sustained. Read More.

Providing Green Energy
More than 4,000 customers currently participate in the company's Green Energy program. They've purchased more than 16,000 blocks of green energy. One block equals 100 kilowatt-hours, or about 10 percent of the average monthly residential use. The choices include green energy supplied by landfill gas and a second option that includes both biomass and at least 2 percent solar. Green Energy is regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission and is Green-e Energy certified. Green-e Energy provides independent, third-party certification to ensure certified renewable energy meets strict environmental and consumer protection standards.

Researching Solar Energy
Georgia Power is moving forward with plans to evaluate the performance of cutting-edge solar technologies in a demonstration project at its corporate offices in Atlanta. The company is installing seven photovoltaic (PV) technologies on the roof of Georgia Power's 241 Ralph McGill building. Each test technology will be capable of producing approximately four kilowatts. Throughout the demonstration, the company will work with a third-party entity to evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of each technology. Read more.