We are developing and deploying technologies to reduce greenhouse gases while making sure that electricity remains reliable and affordable. We are working to find solutions that make technological, environmental and economic sense.

Actions

• Developed, with U.S. Department of Energy and KBR, TRIG™ advanced coal gasification technology that can be used to generate electricity more cleanly than traditional coal-fired power plants.
• Member of the Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership, evaluating carbon dioxide capture technologies and underground injection sites.
• Established history of voluntary carbon dioxide reductions — more than 165 million metric tons through more than 20 projects and planting more than 45 million trees.
• Among first participants in Department of Energy's Climate Challenge Program.
• Pursuing regulatory approval for two additional non-emitting nuclear power units at Plant Vogtle in Georgia.
• Actively researchong into carbon capture and sequestration, including a demonstration project in Mississippi to inject carbon dioxide into saline reservoirs nearly two miles below the Earth's surface.
• Details in our Corporate Responsibility Report

Water
Southern Company power plants return about 96 percent of the roughly 6 billion gallons of water withdrawn per day to generate electricity.

Actions

• Southern Company samples and monitors discharges to keep in accordance with permit requirements for clean water.
• We’re developing solutions — including barrier nets, fish return systems, and fine mesh screens — that anticipate new EPA standards for cooling water intake structures.
• Southern Company's Renew Our Rivers program removed more than 8.6 million pounds of trash and debris from Southeast waterways.
• Details in our Corporate Responsibility Report

Solids
Most solids left from electricity generation are by-products of combustion.

Actions

• Coal ash can be used as an ingredient in concrete, cement, and road beds, diverting up to 3.6 million tons from landfills.
• Gypsum, devired in scrubbers that remove emissions is reusable in wallboard, cement, and agriculture.
• Remaining solids are managed on plant sites or removed to landfills.
• We decreased use of hazardous materials by substituting safer options such as non-chlorinated cleaners and water-based paints.
• We recycle wood, scrap metal, and other industrial materials plus office materials including paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum cans and batteries.
• Details in our Corporate Responsibility Report

We continue to research and evaluate the development of sources, particularly biomass, that show promise for producing cost-effective, reliable and lower-emitting energy. We offer a growing variety of programs to help customers use energy more efficiently.

Actions

• Testing switchgrass and wood chips as biofuels co-fired with coal.
• Converting selected coal units to biomass.
• Evaluating potential for wind and solar generation in the Southeast.
• Selling power from landfill gas and other certified "green" sources.
• Details in our Corporate Responsibility Report

Energy Efficiency Initiatives

In addition to adding generation sources and new technologies, we're promoting energy efficiency to lower the need to build new plants.

• Existing programs reducing peak demand for electricity by 3,000 megawatts.
• Plan to increase investment in energy efficiency and demand control programs to more than $1 billion through 2020.
• Details in our Corporate Responsibility Report

Emissions control technologies at our generating plants to reduce nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide also reduce mercury emissions.

Actions

• Managed nearly $500 million in research and development over the past decade seeking innovative ways to improve the generation, delivery and use of electricity.
• Since 1990, combined emissions of sulfur dioxide sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are down more than 30 percent, while megawatt-hour generation has increased more than 40 percent to serve demand for electricity.
• Combination of selective catalytic reduction systems and scrubbers to expected to lower mercury emissions from 40 percent to 50 percent below current levels by 2010.
• Through 2008, invested about $6.3 billion in environmental controls. Planning to spend additional $3.1 billion through 2010 to further reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and mercury.
• First full-scale test of activated carbon injection into baghouses for mercury control.
• Partnered with Department of Energy to test advanced mercury control technology.
• Established the nation's first-of-its-kind mercury controls research test center in Pensacola, Fla.
• Details in our Corporate Responsibility Report