Energy's Role in Keeping the Southeast Relevant

I've lived in the Southeast my entire life, went to college here, and now I work for a company that helps utilities like Southern Company continue to deliver economically competitive, reliable and sustainable power to millions.

Though it may not often be widely recognized as part of our national conversation, the Southeast is booming. We have a low tax rate. We have easy access to affordable land and labor. And we're home to some of the nation's largest companies. But, another big part of the economic equation is the competitive cost of power. Georgia ranks near average nationally when it comes to cost of power and despite the absence of a formal renewable energy policy standard, Georgia has lower CO2 emissions per kilowatt hour than the U.S. national average.

Many of these points were brought up during an event earlier this month to celebrate the opening of Georgia Tech's new Energy Policy and Innovation Center, EPICenter for short. There was a consensus from the industry, academic and utility leaders that the Southeast is relevant in the national economic landscape, but the status quo won't be enough. Our collective efforts must focus on keeping the Southeast relevant for the next generation. Our growth and success as a region will rely heavily on how we address energy challenges over the next 40-50 years.

The EPICenter's mission aligns with Siemens' in that we recognize that we cannot chart a path forward with just an academic or even a utility point of view. We'll benefit as a state, and a region by working together in an ecosystem. That larger picture also, and importantly, includes the role of policy makers. By taking a more collaborative approach, we can help policy makers make informed decisions influenced by the latest research and development across the energy ecosystem. 

This new center, and our ongoing work across industries, will ensure that the Southeast remains relevant and leads on a national level to help the U.S. continue to thrive.