Georgia Power, one of the earliest pioneers of biodiesel and E-85 use in Georgia, was recognized as a 2012 Sustainable Fleet by the NAFA Fleet Management Association for committing to reduce its environmental impact. Tony Saxon, CAFM, fleet support supervisor at Georgia Power, and the fleet operations department have done their part to fulfill their company’s environmental sustainability goals by choosing cleaner, greener, and smarter vehicles for the fleet.

“I really felt blessed to receive this distinguished award for Georgia Power,” Saxon said. “I was so proud of Georgia Power and all of our employees for their commitment to the company’s sustainability efforts. Their efforts made the Sustainability Award possible.”

The Sustainable Fleet Awards were presented during the NAFA 2012 Institute & Expo in St. Louis. In addition to Saxon and Georgia Power, the list of 2012 award winners included Yvan Lupien (City of Ottawa, Canada); Gregg Hodgdon, CAFM (E.A. Sween Company); and Gayle Pratt (Ecolab, Inc).

Dedicated to Green
Georgia Power, the largest of four electric utilities that make up Southern Company, serves 2.4 million customers in 155 of the 159 counties in the state of Georgia.

In 1999, the fleet adopted biodiesel in its operations, with E-85 following three years later. To date, the utility has used more than 6 million gallons of B-20 and more than 390,000 gallons of E-85. Through the years, it has remained dedicated to the use of alternative fuels and has been a leader in the purchase of fuel-efficient, hybrid, and electric vehicles to help reduce petroleum use. In addition, the company’s use of a Smart Ride program, alternative work schedules, and idle-reduction programs have greatly reduced the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted into the atmosphere.

Georgia Power has an ambitious series of plans to continue on this path toward sustainability including: increasing its number of alternative-fuel capable vehicles, continuing research on cleaner burning fuels including availability and costs, purchasing or leasing new-generation electric vehicles, and researching the use of battery power packs on aerial units.

Georgia Power currently operates 3,123 vehicles, comprised of sedans, pickups, and Class 3-8 trucks.

Green Efforts All-Around
Georgia Power was also named the 2011-2012 National Pledge Leader for its “Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR” campaign by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The campaign encourages consumers to take small steps that make a big difference to save energy and help the environment.

In 2012, Georgia Power has collected 107,657 pledges (as of press time) from consumers through local offices, energy efficiency fairs, and community outreach events. 

The Change the World pledge campaign is a part of Georgia Power’s EarthCents initiative, a portfolio of energy efficiency programs created to help residential and business customers save money, use energy efficiently, and help the environment.

For additional details about Georgia Power’s EarthCents lighting program or to take the “Change the World” pledge online, visit www.georgiapower.com/lighting.