Energy Incentive Programs, Georgia
Updated November 2009
Below you will find questions and answers regarding Georgia's utility energy efficiency programs, including options for load management, demand response, and distributed energy resources, and information about state-sponsored energy efficiency programs.
What public-purpose-funded energy efficiency programs are available in my state?
Georgia has no public-purpose-funded energy efficiency programs.
What utility energy efficiency programs are available to me?
No utility energy efficiency programs are currently available to Federal customers.
What load management/demand response options are available to me?
Georgia Power, a subsidiary of the Southern Company, offers a set of real-time pricing programs where customers are credited or charged for electricity usage below or above a pre-determined customer baseline load (CBL). Participants may choose to pay for these differences from their CBL based on either day-ahead or hour-ahead market pricing. Customers may also select from a variety of price protection products, including caps, collars, contracts for differences, index swaps, and index caps. These variants on the basic real-time pricing service are risk management tools that customers can use as a hedge during possible periods of higher real-time electricity prices.
Through Georgia Power's Demand Plus Energy Credit Rider, customers are credited between $3.25 and $6.25 per kW (depending on the number of hours they are willing to curtail) during summer months for reducing their average demand to a firm demand level. Customers are also remunerated for actual energy reductions at between $0.50 and $1.00 per kWh. Curtailment requests can be issued with as little as 30 minutes notice. There are significant penalties for non-compliance.
What distributed energy resource options are available to me?
The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) provides information on programs that offer incentives for renewable distributed generation. The following programs may be of interest to Federal customers:
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Under Georgia Power's Solar Buyback Program, commercial customers with photovoltaic (PV) arrays up to 100 kW are paid for systems output at 18.31¢/kWh.
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Through the Green Power Switch Generation Partners Program, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will purchase the output of a solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, or small hydropower installation of up to 1 MW for 10 years. The remuneration rates are $0.12/kWh above the retail rate for solar installations and $0.03/kWh above the retail rate for the other renewables. Purchases must be brokered by a participating power distributor (typically, utilities that purchase TVA power).
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Georgia grants a sales and use tax exemption to biomass power plants. While Federal customers do not pay taxes and thus cannot utilize the incentive directly, contractors that develop biomass plants at Federal sites with power purchase agreements may be able to take advantage of the exemption and share the benefit with their Federal customers.
Are there energy efficiency programs sponsored by state government?
The State Energy Office at the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority, Division of Energy Resources, administers several energy efficiency programs. However, none of these programs are currently available to Federal customers.
What additional opportunities are available to me?
Federal customers whose utilities have areawide supply contracts through the General Services Administration (GSA) (e.g., AGL Resources, Atmos Energy, and Georgia Power) may be able to take advantage of third-party financed energy efficiency projects called utility energy service contracts (UESCs). Information is available through the GSA Energy Center of Expertise Library. Federal facilities should contact their account executive to determine the level of each utility's participation.
NOTE: Energy efficiency funds and demand response programs are updated at least annually. Please contact the FEMP webmaster if changes are needed between updates.