Julia Glenn Carter

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I’m the CEO of ZiptoGreen, a new resource that uses ZIP Codes to connect every consumer in America to every energy efficiency and renewable energy resource … products, services, utility programs, government and utility incentives, green group, etc.

ZiptoGreen launched on Oct. 5. There’s a great story about how this grassroots effort was built by leaders in a metro Atlanta community, but that’s for another time.

There a developing story that I need to tell right now.

It’s been difficult getting utilities and government to collaborate with ZiptoGreen, to say the least. But I’m pretty sure some significant players are paying attention:

  • The U.S. Department of Energy’s EERE featured ZiptoGreen as a link on their website
  • Every congressional member on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Energy and the Environment received notice of ZiptoGreen launch
  • ZiptoGreen CFO Walt Bryde and I get with Rep. Waxman's staff
  • Roll Call, the capitol’s newspaper of choice for legislators, featured ZipGreen’s ZipZappers the week of our launch.

    Plus ...

  • I’ve spoken to legal, management, executive and board representatives of Southern Company.
  • I’ve had an ongoing conversation with Georgia EMC.
  • Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) received an early preview of our plans after an introduction by Georgia EMC.
  • A few months ago, the GEFA official in charge of energy efficiency grants requested that I send him information.
  • The director for energy efficiency at Oglethorpe Power said in August that we were “right on target” with what was needed. He knew of no other resource that provided the level of support ZiptoGreen does.
  • A progressive power company based in North Carolina requested a pilot program proposal and then, excepting for an order to quit sharing that good news, has completely ignored our communications.

    Given all that, you can imagine my surprise when a friend emailed me an RFP she received. The RFP was released on Tues., Oct. 27 for a GEFA website that sounds a whole lot like what ZiptoGreen does. Given that the RFP was due on Nov. 2 and a vendor is to be selected on Nov. 5, I suspect there is more to this picture than meets the eye.

    As a colleague suggested, it’s best to go with stupidity rather than conspiracy when in doubt. So, I’m giving GEFA the benefit of the doubt.

    Let's assume GEFA overlooked ZiptoGreen when sending out RFPs and has not pre-selected a vendor. If not selected, I’m eager to learn about the resource. We’ll have to see how this progresses.

    How does this fit into the big picture? Let me give you a little food for thought:

    On Monday Cobb EMC announced it had been awarded $16.5 million in federal Recovery Act grant funding to install 190,000 “smart” electric meters and a communications system. The news article also stated that GA Power began installing early-generation smart meters in Jan. 2008.So, Georgia utilities are apparently on the cutting edge of smart power technology. Consumers can soon reduce power consumption without having to do anything. That’s great. What would it look like if consumers actually became energy efficient?

    Now consider this month’s National Geographic article on electric cars. According to National Geo, electric cars using coal-powered electricity emit .2 lbs less CO2 emissions than regular gas. That’s great, too! And that’s without ANY renewable energy sources for electricity. By using renewable energy sources, electric cars would emit no CO2.

    BUT … without renewable energy sources for electric power, a switch to electric cars could result in an increase in coal-powered generation. Some 66% of Georgia power is generated by coal.

    I do sympathize with utilities that are at risk losing revenue due to energy efficiency mandates. But there are solutions. Decoupling?

    Years ago a recently elected official was throwing his weight around in DeKalb County, GA. He was annoyed at me because my newspaper wouldn’t fall in line, so he tried bullying me during a phone call. “Humph,” I said afterwards. “He doesn’t seem to know how this works.” I simply wrote about our conversation. He never openly bullied me again, though he continued to be devious in the shadows.

    Such transparency is called for now. It may not offer protection, but it’ll certainly make for good conversation.