Energy-Efficiency Funds and Demand Response Programs, Georgia

Updated June 2007

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. Under this service, customers are alternatively 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. Furthermore, 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 from their average demand to a firm demand level, and 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 and 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.

Through the Green Power Switch Generation Partners Program, TVA will purchase the output of a solar photovoltaic installation of up to 50 kW (though larger systems may be approved on a case-by-case basis) at $0.20/kWh. Purchases must be brokered by a participating power distributor (generally, utilities in the TVA territory). The only current (mid-2007) participants are the Blue Ridge Mountain and Tri-State Electric Membership Corporations, but interested customers of other TVA distribution utilities should contact their utility account representative to pursue this opportunity.

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 also have energy efficiency opportunities available with utilities (such as Georgia Power and AGL Resources) that have area-wide contracts with GSA and, by extension, all other federal agencies. Federal facilities should contact their account executive to determine the level of participation by their local utility.