Press Mention WPLN August 4, 2024
SACE Quoted
Tennessee ranks near bottom for solar energy production in the Southeast
In this mention
According to a new Southern Alliance for Clean Energy report, Tennessee ranks second-lowest for solar energy installation among six Southeastern states by 2027. The TVA, serving 10 million customers across seven states, ranks last for solar capacity among major Southeastern utilities, with less solar than utilities serving significantly fewer customers. The report identifies TVA's institutional bias against renewable energy and highlights opportunities for increased solar and transmission capacity through upcoming planning processes and Inflation Reduction Act incentives.
That utility in South Carolina serves less than 800,000 customers, yet they have more solar than TVA has
Bryan Jacob
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Full transcript
By Caroline Eggers
August 5, 2024
The Tennessee Valley Authority limits local power companies, like the Nashville Electric Service, to getting 5% of their power from renewable sources.
Tennessee ranks among the worst for solar energy production.
Tennessee is expected to be second for the lowest amount of solar installed by 2027 compared to six other Southeastern states, according to a new report by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
On the utility side, the Tennessee Valley Authority ranks last for solar among big Southeastern utilities.
TVA, which serves 10 million customers in Tennessee and six other states, has even less solar capacity than Dominion's South Carolina territory.
"That utility in South Carolina serves less than 800,000 customers, yet they have more solar than TVA has," said Bryan Jacob, a solar consultant with SACE who helped author the report.
More: TVA's power mix explained in two charts
Another point of comparison is Florida's big utility: Florida, Power and Light has a similar total generating capacity to TVA but five times as much solar.
TVA has an "institutional bias" against renewable energy, according to the report, which said TVA has an opportunity to significantly increase both its solar and transmission capacity with upcoming long-term planning processes and Inflation Reduction Act incentives.