igan governor Jennifer Granholm as the Energy Secretary and former Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy to lead the newly formed White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy. The President selected Michael Regan, the current Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, to lead U.S. EPA. If confirmed, Regan will be the first Black person to lead the agency since its inception. Advocacy Leadership: On October 13, the Alliance to Save Energy announced Paula Glover as the organization’s new president as of January 4. Glover was formerly the president and CEO of the American Association of Blacks in Energy and has over twenty-five years of experience in energy policy. In January, Glover spoke about equity in energy efficiency. Guide to Building a Better Kit Programs: In October, SEEA member Franklin Energy released a guide to building a better and more cost-effective energy efficiency kit program. Blockchain: On September 30, XRP Ledger Foundation, Ripple, and Rocky Mountain Institute-backed nonprofit Energy Web announced the world’s first decarbonized public blockchain. Pandemic Debt: Industry analysts suggest that energy utility customers collectively owe up to $40 billion in debt due to pandemic-induced inability to pay bills. Duke Energy estimated in December about $170 million in delinquent energy bills across their Carolinas territory.
Energy Efficient Transportation State, Local, and Utility Policy Updates Alabama Manufacturing: Mercedes-Benz is planning a $53.6 million manufacturing plant expansion in Tuscaloosa. The plant is expected to begin production of six all-electric models in late 2022. Florida Electric Vehicle (EV) Roadmap & EV Infrastructure Master Plan: In Q4 2020, the Florida state
Energy Office released its EV Roadmap and a status report of the EV Infrastructure Master Plan. The roadmap outlines the technical feasibility and opportunity for EV charging infrastructure in the state. The Electric Transportation Infrastructure Master Plan, being developed by the Florida Department of Transportation in partnership with the Energy Office and the FPSC, will include broad policy recommendations for electric transportation and infrastructure in Florida. Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust (VEMT) Funds: In November, the Department of Environmental Protection announced that school districts in some of Florida’s most populous and polluted cities are eligible to share $57 million of the state’s VEMT funds to replace diesel buses with electric ones. The eligible districts include parts of Miami-Broward-Palm Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Pensacola. Florida Power & Light (FPL) Pilots: FPL proposed pilot programs for EV tariffs in June. After a public comment period, the commission approved the programs in November. Docket No. 20200170 Electric Buses: In October, the first of fourteen electric buses were deployed in Orlando as part of a partnership between the City of Orlando, Orlando Utilities Commission, and Lynx. Automated Shuttle: In November, the City of St. Petersburg, along with the transportation authority and the Florida Department of Transportation, launched an automated electric shuttle, offering free rides along Bayshore Drive. Municipal Fleet: In December, the City of Tampa added nine EVs to its municipal fleet. Georgia Manufacturing: In November, a Turkish EV parts supplier announced plans to open its first North American manufacturing plant in Calhoun, Georgia. Peachtree Corners: In October, the smart city of Peachtree Corners issued a request for proposals for EV equipment suppliers. Responses were due in November. Additionally, Peachtree Corners and The Ray announced the installment of the coun-
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