Renewable Energy

Renewable energy has the potential to supply electricity with fewer greenhouse gases and other emissions. It is beginning to make a meaningful contribution in some areas of the country.

Alabama Power was founded on renewable hydro energy, which typically supplies about 6 percent of the company's annual energy needs. In fact, Alabama is ranked sixth in the nation for renewable energy capacity because of its existing hydro generation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

For years, Alabama Power and Southern Company have been researching renewable energy in the Southeast, where the cloudy and humid climate, lack of sustained winds and other factors limit the economic viability of some existing technologies. Alabama Power customers can sign up now for our Renewable Energy Rate, and help add renewable energy to our fuel mix.  And customers with small solar systems can sign up for Rate PAE in which we will buy their excess solar-generated electricity. Southern Company is investing in renewable and alternative energy in other regions, including geothermal energy in Hawaii, and is partnering in the construction of one of the nation's largest solar energy projects, in New Mexico. Expanding renewable generation in the Southeast, however, remains a challenge. On the other hand, we're staying abreast of emerging technologies to ensure that renewable energy plays a greater role in providing electricity to Alabama Power customers – when it makes economic sense. We are currently testing several solar technologies, as well as wind power technologies, atop our Birmingham headquarters. See how the solar project is progressing at our solar demonstration website.

Nuclear Energy

In today's changing world, nuclear energy remains one of the most effective and proven ways to produce significant amounts of power with no greenhouse gas emissions. Plant Farley, near Dothan, produces about one-fifth of the electricity needs of Alabama Power customers while producing zero emissions. Meanwhile, Alabama-based Southern Nuclear and Georgia Power, both sister companies of Alabama Power, are working toward building two new nuclear units at Plant Vogtle, near Augusta, Georgia. These two units are some of the first to be developed in the United States in more than a generation.