Techstars Demo Day highlights energy innovators’ Alabama experience
A dozen energy tech startups on Tuesday got to strut their stuff during Demo Day for the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator – the fourth cohort of energy-sector entrepreneurs to converge in Birmingham for a 13-week mentoring program that continues to grow its reputation across the globe. This year’s cohort included companies from nine states and the nation of Latvia. Founded in 2020, the program so far has welcomed 42 companies from across the U.S. and beyond. Not including the latest graduating class, Techstars Alabama companies have created over 200 jobs. Of that number, 32 positions have remained in the state, helping expand Alabama’s innovation economy. Tuesday’s Demo Day drew hundreds of business leaders, energy and tech entrepreneurs and enthusiasts, and investors to the Red Mountain Theatre campus in downtown Birmingham. The event provided a forum for the 12 companies chosen for this year’s cohort to showcase their products, their accomplishments to date, and their plans for growth. During their presentations, several companies announced new partnerships and commitments from investors, with one company unveiling a name change. Learn more about the dozen presenters and their companies here. Cohort members also praised their experience in Birmingham, a city many of them had never visited before being accepted into the accelerator. This year, the accelerator moved into Birmingham’s Innovation Depot, giving the entrepreneurs access to dozens of startups that operate from the long-running incubator, as well as additional business experts and depot programs. Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator is focused on nurturing promising startups working in fields related to climate tech, clean tech, and energy efficiency, including energy distribution, smart grids, electric vehicle technology, and renewables. Myla Calhoun, vice president of Alabama Power’s Birmingham Division, welcomed attendees to Demo Day, which included a vibrant networking reception. Alabama Power is among the key supporters of the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator, along with the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, the Alabama Department of Commerce, PowerSouth, the University of Alabama, and Southern Research. The Birmingham program is part of the Techstars global network of accelerators, which was expected to invest worldwide in more than 600 companies this year. To learn more about the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator, click here. Republished with the permission of The Alabama News Center.
Alabama Power volunteers support annual coastal cleanup; Renew Our Rivers, Mobile River event coming up
Alabama Power volunteers in the Mobile area recently joined with volunteers from Airbus to do their part to keep Alabama’s coastal waters clean as part of the annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup. Volunteers with the Mobile and Plant Barry chapters of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) participated in the cleanup and also helped sponsor the event. They were paired with Airbus volunteers, and together they helped clean sections of Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort and along the Mobile Causeway. Touted as the state’s largest annual volunteer event, more than 108,000 volunteers have participated since Alabama joined the International Coastal Cleanup initiative in 1987. Multiple organizations, businesses, and individual volunteers took part in the cleanup on Sept. 16 at more than two dozen sites along the Gulf Coast and Mobile Bay. The sites included neighborhoods, parks, riverbanks, and shoreline areas in Baldwin and Mobile counties. APSO is a repeat volunteer partner in the Coastal Cleanup. “I love to serve others in our community, and APSO provides an outlet for me to do just that,” said Sara Taylor, the APSO member who led the group’s cleanup effort. “Keeping our hometown environment clean is one of the best ways I know to give back,” Taylor added. “There are so many needs right here in our community, and we all need each other. Being a member of APSO has afforded me the opportunity to join with others to do something good.” Alabama Power and other Mobile-area partners will be conducting a cleanup along the Mobile River October 4-5 as part of the Renew Our Rivers campaign. Since it began in 2000 with a community cleanup along the Coosa River, Renew Our Rivers has grown to become one of the largest volunteer river cleanup initiatives in the Southeast. Learn more about Renew Our Rivers and see the latest schedule of cleanups here. The Alabama Coastal Cleanup is coordinated through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Alabama People Against A Littered State (PALS). Recycling efforts connected to the cleanup are conducted in coordination with the Osprey Initiative, a local environmental contractor. Learn more about community volunteerism by Alabama Power employees and retirees at powerofgood.com. for more information about the company’s environmental stewardship efforts, click here. Republished with the permission of
Online scam targeting Alabama Power customers
By: Alabama News Center Staff Scammers are targeting Alabama Power customers as part of a complex, ongoing scam across the region affecting customers of multiple utilities. Scammers are creating fraudulent utility websites, posing as official company sites, with fake customer service numbers. After landing on these fraudulent sites, customers who wish to pay their bill over the phone are calling the associated 800 numbers and disclosing their personal information, falling victim to the scam. As always, Alabama Power works with each customer to determine the best service option for their account. The schemes that criminals are using are not part of the company’s business practices. If you wish to pay an Alabama Power bill, use only the company’s residential customer service number: 1-800-245-2244 or access your account online at the company’s official website, alabamapower.com. An informed customer can combat scammers. Remember these tips to protect yourself from scams: For more information, visit www.alabamapower.com/scam. Republished with the permission of The Alabama NewsCenter.
Alabama Power will not build controversial Chandler Mountain project
A controversial Alabama Power Company (APC) proposal to build a 15,000-acre pumped storage facility between St. Clair and Etowah Counties has been nixed by the company after landowners, the community, and an increasing number of elected officials came out against the Chandler Mountain Pumped Storage Project. The company said in a statement: “After careful consideration, Alabama Power has decided to withdraw its Notice of Intent to seek a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to operate a Pumped Storage Hydro facility at Chandler Mountain.” The controversial proposal would have involved the construction of five reservoirs on Little Canoe Creek north of Steele. The power company’s plan was to force water from one reservoir to another and back again to the first to start the process over again to produce hydroelectric power. Alabama Power already owns a number of manmade lakes on the Coosa River System, but this one would have had rapidly fluctuating water levels and a return that could have made the system self-perpetuating in periods of low rainfall and slow water flow. The communities along both sides of the Coosa River were staunchly opposed to the plan. The Company had requested a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The first public comment period on this proposal ended just a week ago, and the comments were overwhelmingly negative. Family farms would have been taken for the project, and numerous families would have been forced to relocate forever altering the lives of people in the community. There were also concerns that the project would adversely affect the wildlife in the river system, including reportedly an endangered species of freshwater mussel that lives in Canoe Creek. as well as concern that an initial drawdown of Neely Henry Lake to start the system would adversely affect lake residents. It appeared that Alabama Power Company had hopelessly lost the debate on this project when Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh expressed her public opposition to the project. “Alabama families and Alabama industries and businesses demand innovative solutions to fuel our future,” said PSC President Cavanaugh said on Twitter. “By the time this cost-prohibitive project could come online, our evolving technologies will make it antiquated.” This was followed by PSC Commissioner Chip Beeker’s announcement of his opposition to the project. State Representative Craig Lipscomb, who represents the affected communities, had already vowed to oppose the project. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s staff recently told a group of concerned St. Clair County farmers opposed to the project that they were closely monitoring the project. Beeker and Cavanaugh blamed the Biden Administration’s energy policies which are forcing utilities to close affordable coal and natural gas-burning power plants in favor of less reliable carbon dioxide-free power sources like wind, solar, and in this case – hydroelectric. “First of all, we have now forfeited our sovereignty as a nation,” Cavanaugh told Yellowhammer News. “We’re letting all these European countries dictate our energy policy. They no more care about the environment than they do our high school football scores. Since they can’t beat our economy and our natural resources, they simply want to drag us down to their level.” Critics claimed that the Chandler Mountain Pumped Storage Project if built, would produce less electricity than a medium size coal plant would. Construction on this project would not have begun until 2031 – and that construction could not begin until FERC permitted the project. The regulatory process for such an ambitious project would have taken years – and given the public response, there was little confidence that FERC approval would have been forthcoming. The Alabama Power Company and other electric utilities are in a difficult situation due to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed new rule that the cut carbon emissions by 90% by 2030, while electricity demand sources due to high levels of immigration and the coming transition from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) that have to be charged from the grid in order to function. These new rules will force electric companies to close coal, oil, and natural gas-powered power plants – the plants that produce most of the electricity used by this country. Nuclear power is another option, but nuclear power plants are very expensive to build, and the regulatory process is even more difficult than building a hydroelectric project. “Our guiding purpose is to provide clean, safe, reliable, and affordable power to the 1.5 million people and businesses that depend on us,” APC said. “As we look to the future, we recognize that alternative resources, as well as energy storage options, will be key in meeting the ever-changing needs of our customers.” Alabama Power acknowledged that public opposition played a role in the decision to abandon the project. “Alabama Power will continue to explore all available technologies with due diligence, striving to power a better Alabama in ways that align with the evolving needs and expectations of our customers,” APC said. “We appreciate the feedback received by all parties involved with the exploration of the Chandler Mountain project.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Power’s Chandler Mountain Project is generating controversy
Alabama Power Company’s plan to build a new series of dams on Little Canoe Creek in St, Clair, and Etowah Counties is generating a lot of questions in the local community. Alabama Power is seeking approval for its Chandler Mountain Project through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The Company filed a notice of intent and Pre-Application Document with FERC on April 14, 2023. According to Alabama Power’s website to promote the project, “The unconstructed Chandler Mountain Project would be a pumped storage hydroelectric generating facility, which is anticipated to provide 1,600 megawatts (MW) and would involve the construction of new water storage, water conveyance, and generation facilities at locations where such facilities do not exist at this time. The proposed Chandler Mountain Project would be located on Little Canoe Creek East in Etowah and St. Clair Counties near the town of Steele, Alabama.” “The Chandler Mountain Project would include an upper dam that creates an approximate 526-acre lined upper reservoir; an upper reservoir intake structure; an underground powerhouse with four reversible pump turbines, each 400 MW; four dam sections (Lower Dam A, Lower Dam B, Lower Dam C, and Lower Dam D), including a discharge structure at Lower Dam A, that create the approximate 1,090-acre lower reservoir; an approximate 6-mile supplemental water source conveyance structure; and transmission-related structures and facilities,” the company explained. The total dimensions of the project remain unclear at this time as it is still in the design stage. “The Chandler Mountain Project is currently in the planning and design phase,” the Company stated. “For this reason, Alabama Power does not know final details about the size of the facility and the specific land needed for the project at this time. However, information will be provided to stakeholders as it becomes available during the FERC licensing process, which will span the next 5-10 years. The Project Area shown in the Pre-Application Document includes lands and waters that may be affected by the proposed construction and operation of the project. During the FERC licensing process, Alabama Power will evaluate the potential impacts to the Project Area that may occur during project construction and operation.” “Pumped storage is a form of technology that utilizes two reservoirs at different elevations,” Alabama Power explained on their website. “During periods of low-energy demand, water is pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir and stored there until periods of high-energy demand when it is released back to the lower reservoir through a powerhouse where electricity is generated. Energy storage projects such as the Chandler Mountain Project are used across the country to help ensure a reliable and resilient electricity system that is increasingly integrating intermittent renewable forms of energy such as wind and solar.” This proposal has been met with skepticism by the local community and some local environmentalists alike, who feel that the project could jeopardize the culture of the area as well as the flora and fauna. Already a ‘Stop the Chandler Mountain Dam Project’ and ‘Save Chandler Mountain’ Facebook groups have started. There have been two public hearings in the Steele and Rainbow City areas to better inform the public about Alabama Power’s plans for the area. While the Steele and Chandler Mountain areas are very rural and best known for cattle, poultry, and tomato farms, the area has been targeted for transformation into industrial development. Etowah County has purchased 1,200 acres of farmland near Steele as the County’s Little Canoe Creek Megasite and has been marketing tracts to would-be industrialists. Alabama Power said that Pumped storage projects can take well over a decade to license, design, and construct. The FERC licensing process for the Chandler Mountain Project officially began with the filing of the Notification of Intent and Pre-Application Document on April 14, 2023. APC says that it will take 4-5 years to prepare and file a license application. Then, Alabama Power anticipates that FERC will require an additional 2-4 years after filing the license application to reach a licensing decision. Only after license issuance, and when all other regulatory approvals are in place, can construction begin. Alabama Power anticipates 5-7 years for construction following the issuance of the FERC license, so this project will not be operational until sometime in the mid-2030s at the earliest. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Power customers to get $62 million in rebates
On Tuesday, the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to give $62 million back to Alabama Power Company customers. After reviewing Alabama Power’s financials, the PSC determined that the utility had overestimated fuel costs this winter. The vote to rebate the funds was a 3 to 0 vote at the PSC’s most recent meeting. The PSC regulates state-licensed monopolies. Alabama Power Company is guaranteed by the PSC to make a profit, but it cannot price gouge its customers. Alabama Power Customers are expected to get a credit on their August bills of about $20. “I think a direct refund is the best way to proceed here, but I also believe the refund would be more impactful if it is made during the summer when residential usage and, therefore, their bills are higher and would equate to a larger return for those consumers,” said Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh during the meeting. The purpose of the Alabama Public Service Commission is to provide a balance between regulated companies and consumers to provide consumers with safe, adequate, and reliable services at affordable rates. The PSC approved three rate increases for Alabama Power during 2022 due to rising fuel costs. The entities regulated by the APSC include privately owned corporations providing electric, gas, and water service to the public and select providers of telecommunication and wastewater services. Additionally, railroads, buses, trucking companies, and taxis operating outside police jurisdictions on a for-hire basis remain under the oversight of the APSC. Effective July 1, 2018, Transportation Network Companies were placed under the jurisdiction of the APSC pursuant to Alabama Legislative Act 2018-127. The APSC has a staff of 66. The PSC is governed by a president and two associate commissioners who are elected on a statewide basis. Each commissioner is elected to serve a four-year term, with the president’s term staggered by two years from the associate commissioners’ terms. The other two commissioners, Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker, were just reelected in 2022. Cavanaugh faces voters in the 2024 presidential election. The State of Alabama has two primary electric power generators – the Alabama Power Company (a division of the Southern Company) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Because TVA is an entity of the federal government and the U.S. Constitution gives federal law supremacy over state law, the APSC does not have regulatory authority over TVA. Alabama Power has 1.5 million customers. Twenty-five percent of the company’s power is generated by burning oil and natural gas, 43 percent is produced by burning coal, 24 percent is nuclear, and 8 percent is produced through hydroelectric dams. 24.34% of Alabama Power’s costs are spent on fuel and purchased power. The company has total revenues of $5,678,066,345. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Power to refund customers $62 million on August bill
Alabama Power customers are getting a refund this summer. The Alabama Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved the refund to be paid to eligible Alabama Power customers in August. The decision came after the company reported it was above the allowed rate of return range by $62 million in 2022, al.com reported. There’s no word yet on how much customers will receive as part of that refund. In December, Alabama Power announced its third rate increase of 2022, citing federal mandates, inflation, and economic conditions. That means the average residential customer, using 1,000-kilowatt hours a month, is paying about $24 for electricity since January 2022. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama Power warns Alabamians to be ready for extremely cold temperatures
Christmas in Alabama is a time for family and throwing footballs in the backyard. Some years, Christmas lunch could be served out on the patio, but not this year. We are approaching a holiday weekend with a forecast for frigid temperatures beginning before dawn on Friday, December 23. Alabama Power Company is advising people to be prepared for the freezing weather. ABC 33/40 TV meteorologist James Spann warned that temperatures will drop into the 5-12 degree range Friday morning across North/Central Alabama, with a wind chill index as low as -15F. The wind chill index will stay below zero most of the day Friday. For many places in North Alabama, it will be Monday, December 26, before temperatures climb over 32 degrees for many communities across North Alabama. Be ready for over 72 consecutive hours of sub-freezing weather. Alabama Power said in a release that the company has made smart investments in our power grid today so they can continue to provide customers with the service they expect – both now and in the decades to come. That includes investments in a diverse energy mix to maintain high levels of reliability for customers during extreme temperatures. Alabama Power says that its team is continuing to monitor changing weather conditions and is working to be prepared for extreme weather. Alabama Power said that the severe cold has the potential to increase electricity bills. The Alabama Power Company offers a variety of resources and tips to make homes energy-efficient during times of increased usage while also maintaining safety and comfort. By making a few easy adjustments and changing some habits, customers can keep costs down while keeping their homes warm. “We encourage customers to visit Cold Weather Tips | Alabama Power to find valuable ways to save money on their electricity bill,” the press release stated. “Small but smart changes can add up to big savings.” Spann warned that for Alabama, this will be the coldest airmass since 2018 and the most prolonged Arctic outbreak since at least 2014. It is the coldest December airmass since 1989. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Alabama Power Foundation supports educators this new school year with classroom grants
As school gets underway across the state, the Alabama Power Foundation is offering teachers a second round of Classroom Grants this year, supporting their efforts to strengthen the learning experience for students. The Classroom Grant program provides up to $1,000 to teachers to help cover the cost of materials, technology or supplies. Nonprofits that support teachers are also eligible to apply. Grants can be used to help teachers with pandemic-related challenges, such as improving virtual learning, paying for cleaning and sanitation supplies for the classroom, or to support the mental health needs of students and educators. “Teaching is a challenge any day, but the past few years have been especially tough,” said Margaret White, manager of Community Initiatives for the Alabama Power Foundation. “Teacher grants are one way we are trying to help make that job just a little easier while providing a direct benefit to students, as well.” The Classroom Grant program supports schools in Alabama where the financial needs are greatest. Elementary, middle and high schools with 50% or more of their students receiving free or reduced-price lunches are eligible for support. Grants can be directed to bolster classroom learning, to support school libraries, to enhance classroom Wi-Fi access, and multiple other uses. Click here for more details about the grant criteria and requirements. Applications will be accepted starting Aug. 26. The deadline to apply is Sept. 16. For more information about the Classroom Grant program or to apply, click here. The Alabama Power Foundation is committed to empowering communities, bridging gaps of inequity, and improving the quality of life for all Alabamians. Funded by shareholder dollars, the foundation provides philanthropic support to Alabama communities, nonprofits, and educational institutions. To learn more about the foundation and its charitable initiatives, please visit powerofgood.com. Republished with the permission of The Alabama NewsCenter.
Rep. Gary Palmer and staff get firsthand look at Alabama’s National Carbon Capture Center
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) got a firsthand look at one of Alabama’s premier energy research facilities Wednesday, taking his entire staff for a tour of the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC) in Wilsonville. The facility is operated by Southern Company at Alabama Power’s Plant E.C. Gaston. Earlier this year, Palmer was the first representative from Alabama in more than 30 years to be appointed to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has jurisdiction over a broad range of areas, including energy, interstate and foreign commerce, and environmental policy. In Wilsonville, Palmer learned how Alabama experts at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility are finding solutions to deliver on President Joe Biden’s ambitious climate change goals, which include cutting America’s carbon emissions in half by 2030 and reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050. “We are happy to have Congressman Palmer and his entire staff at the National Carbon Capture Center here at Alabama Power’s Plant Gaston,” said Alex McCrary, Alabama Power director of Corporate Affairs. “Rep. Palmer understands the importance of our company’s efforts at the NCCC and the role carbon capture will play in the future of energy. We appreciate he and his staff taking the time to learn more and are grateful for the work they do in Washington on behalf of our great state.” Established in 2009 as a neutral test bed for DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the NCCC is nationally and internationally recognized for accelerating the development of next-generation technologies designed to remove carbon dioxide from a power plant’s flue gas stream. Technology developers from seven countries have come to the Alabama facility to learn from its infrastructure and the expertise employees offer. “Rep. Palmer’s support of our work is invaluable as Southern Company seeks to advance technologies that will create an affordable, reliable, net-zero energy future,” said John Northington, NCCC director and director of net-zero technologies for Southern Company R&D. “Achieving decarbonization will take a diverse portfolio of solutions, and our real-world testing of carbon capture is critical in propelling promising technologies toward commercialization.” Palmer and his staff learned how the NCCC is moving into the emerging area of carbon utilization, where carbon emissions are used to manufacture value-added products like cement. A test for Carbon XPRIZE winner CarbonBuilt this spring successfully produced low-carbon concrete. Sectors like cement and steel face a particular challenge in decarbonizing their businesses. Under a collaborative agreement with NETL, renewed in October 2020, the center’s research scope was formally expanded to new areas of technology development. This expansion included carbon capture for natural gas power generation in addition to carbon utilization and negative-emission solutions, such as direct air capture. The project has reduced the cost of carbon capture from power generation by approximately 40%.
Kim Adams: ADEM permit for Plant Barry closure a victory for facts over sensationalism
Last week, state regulators with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) finalized a permit allowing Alabama Power Company to move ahead with its plan to permanently close its coal ash site at Plant Barry near Mobile. That’s good news for a number of reasons, and state regulators should be applauded for looking past the sensationalism surrounding the proposed plan and focusing instead on the facts and science at hand. Although many independent experts concluded that the coal ash site at Plant Barry could be safely closed in place, a handful of activists nonetheless called on ADEM to require Alabama Power Company to excavate the material to some other, unnamed community. Doing so would have been foolhardy and dangerous, especially considering that the material would take three decades to relocate. Moreover, history has shown clearly that half a century of hurricanes and major storm events have never remotely threatened Plant Barry’s coal ash site, even without the robust site improvements that will now be made under the approved permit. There’s also the issue of where Plant Barry’s coal ash would be moved anyway. Groups like Mobile Baykeeper never bothered to suggest a new home. At least one community, the MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians, raised serious concern that Plant Barry’s coal ash could be transported through tribal land north of Mobile, disrupting traffic, schools, and community life for decades, not to mention the danger of thousands of trucks traveling local roads. In the end, attempts by Mobile Baykeeper and others to label the closure in place method as unsafe simply couldn’t compete with the facts. Other utilities have also elected to close large coal ash sites in place rather than move them, and, in fact, a majority of the volume of coal ash in the Southeast is being handled that way. That’s because the method was approved by both the Obama and Trump administrations and has been deemed safe by experts who understand that every coal ash site is different. By sticking to the facts, ADEM’s regulators made the right decision. The plan they considered was well-conceived and supported by independent experts in geology and hydrology. It was also supported by many local leaders who understood that closing the coal ash site in place was a more sensible option than disrupting the southwest Alabama community for decades with truckloads of coal ash competing with local traffic daily. It’s always worthy of applause when truth overcomes hype. Kudos to ADEM for tuning out the noise and making the right call. Kim Adams is the Executive Director of Jobkeeper Alliance. She is a native of Hurtsboro, Alabama. Adams is helping lead the fight to support American workers and combat efforts that threaten jobs.
Grant to help fund transportation building at Alabama
A $16.5 million grant will help fund a transportation research facility at the University of Alabama focused on electric vehicles, officials said. The project announced Friday was the largest portion of $23.5 million in funding approved for educational building projects by the Public School and College Authority. The building on the campus in Tuscaloosa will house the Alabama Transportation Institute; the Alabama Mobility and Power Initiative, a partnership between Alabama Power Co. and Mercedes-Benz; and a state transportation agency office. A statement by Tuscaloosa-area lawmakers said the partnership will create a research and development center for technology related to electric vehicles. Other projects announced by the governor’s office included: — $4 million for Snead State Community College to help establish a regional workforce training center in Marshall County. — $1.75 million for Talladega County Schools to create the East Alabama Rural Innovation and Training Hub. — $508,754 for Alabama A&M University for capital improvements and deferred maintenance. — $763,600 for Alabama State University for the Southern Normal School in Brewton, the oldest African-American boarding school in Alabama. The projects are the final expenditures from a bond issue for educational projects proposed by Gov. Kay Ivey and approved by state lawmakers in 2020. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
