Georgia Power to the Environment's Rescue?

by shamanic

Sometimes market forces really do encourage good corporate behavior, but what's a cynical consumer to do when her utility company--a Southern Company, at that--offers to charge a little more for "Green Energy"?

Effectively, Georgia Power is offering to put me on a monthly carbon offset plan, the proceeds of which will help fund the development of renewable energy sources, presumably right here in Georgia. (Their FAQ specifies that landfill methane will be the primary source of green energy for the time being.)

But there's this little issue of Georgia Power -- A Southern Company, we consumers are reminded constantly -- maintaining a network of power plants that includes the single biggest sulfur dioxide pollution source in the country. The Southern Company has a long history as a major polluter, and has fought efforts at regulation with all the force a well-paid army of lawyers can muster.

So what's a consumer to do when a nasty corporate polluter offers an affordable monthly plan of carbon offsets that will help fund the development of less-polluting energy? Probably, I'll drop the $4.50 (plus tax) each month to fund 100kwh of "Green Energy", on the off chance that Georgia Power actually pursues it.

It seems like the best possible way to demonstrate a market demand for renewables to the very people who fight so hard to keep from having to clean up their old, outdated, incredibly dirty power plants.

And who's backing me in this quandry?

As a consumer, how can I be assured that the energy is truly "green?"

Georgia Power must acquire renewable generation that meets the criteria that has been approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission.

Yup, you can trust us because we'll pay massive fines if we're defrauding you on this, folks. See, government's good for something after all.