The Southern Renewable Energy Association is a trade association that lobbies to promote the expansion and public funding of wind and solar energy projects in the southeastern United States. The organization’s work is often focused on providing technical comments to state public utility commissions, which regulate public utilities, to urge for the expansion of wind and solar energy.

The group is comprised of dozens of large wind and solar energy companies, energy storage companies, and advocacy organizations, including American Clean Power, Cypress Creek Renewables, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and Pine Gate Renewables. ^{1 2} The board of directors of the organization is comprised of lobbyists and government affairs professionals from six of the group’s member companies. ³

Background

The Southern Renewable Energy Association was formed in 2018 as a tax-exempt trade association. The organization’s revenue has grown substantially since it was founded, growing from $68,000 in revenue in 2018 to over $400,000 in 2022. The organization reported $265,000 in membership dues revenue in 2022. ⁴

The explicit goals of the organization are to promote the use and development of wind energy, solar energy, and energy storage while promoting the transition away from traditional energy sources such as coal and natural gas. The group supports the concept of wind and solar energy becoming “a leading source” of energy in the south. The group’s geographic area of focus covers Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. ⁵

Activity

The Southern Renewable Energy Association supports the expansion of wind and solar energy and energy storage technology by providing comments and lobbying state and regional energy regulators. The organization has often been at odds with energy companies in the region including Duke Energy, Southern Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, and others. One effort of the organization has included criticizing the Southeastern Regional Transmission Planning (SERTP) process, which is a joint effort for the region to comply with U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulations requiring improved transmission planning between energy producers. The group has provided comments to FERC calling for stricter oversight of energy producers and data transparency, and has accused producers such as Duke Energy of conducting “analytical gymnastics” concerning computing and reporting data about energy production and transmission. ⁶

The group has also expressed skepticism of each utility’s integrated resource plans (IRPs), which have aimed to “ramp up natural-gas-fired production as power providers in the Southeast are projecting record-shattering power demand in the years ahead, partly because of the push to clean energy and the growth of industries like electric vehicles.” The association has criticized the increase in natural gas-powered plants, implying that more funds should be directed toward solar and wind projects. ⁷

Political Activity

The Southern Renewable Energy Association has provided political campaign donations to a handful of candidates for state public utility commissions and state legislatures including Mississippi Public Service Commission members Brandon Presley (D), Brent Bailey (R), and Dane Maxwell (R); South Carolina State Senator Tom Davis (R); and Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere (D). ⁸

Leadership

Simon Mahan is the executive director of the Southern Renewable Energy Association. He previously worked for environmental and energy groups including Oceana, the Acadiana Resource Conservation and Development Council, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. ⁹ Mahan earned an annual salary of $145,000 in 2022, a significant portion of the group’s $382,000 in expenses. ¹⁰

The board of directors of the association includes Lynnae Willette, director of regulatory and legislative affairs at EDF Renewables North; Blan Holman, vice president of regulatory affairs for Pine Gate Renewables; David Mindham, director of regulatory affairs at EDP Renewables; Katherine Gensler, vice president of government affairs and marketing at Arevon; Pascal Caputo, Manager – U.S. Governmental Affairs at First Solar; and Cari Collins, head of policy and government affairs at Recurrent Energy. ^{11 12 13 14 15 16}

1. “Our Members.” Southern Renewable Energy Alliance. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.southernrenewable.org/our-members.html
2. Bright, Zach. “Southeast utilities have a ‘very big ask’: More gas.” E&E News. January 22, 2024. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.eenews.net/articles/southeast-utilities-have-a-very-big-ask-more-gas/
3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Southern Renewable Energy Association. 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/831399468/202323199349305052/full
4.  Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Southern Renewable Energy Association. 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/831399468/202323199349305052/full
5.  “About.” Southern Renewable Energy Alliance. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.southernrenewable.org/about.html
6. “Blog.” Southern Renewable Energy Alliance. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.southernrenewable.org/blog
7. Bright, Zach. “Southeast utilities have a ‘very big ask’: More gas.” E&E News. January 22, 2024. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.eenews.net/articles/southeast-utilities-have-a-very-big-ask-more-gas/
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Southern Renewable Energy Association. 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/831399468/202323199349305052/full
9. “Simon Mahan.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonmahan/details/experience/
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Southern Renewable Energy Association. 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/831399468/202323199349305052/full
11. “Lynnae Willette.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnae-willette-20647928a/
12. “Blan Holman.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/blan-holman-0a7282a5/
13. “David Mindman.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mindham-95168341/
14. “Katherine Gensler.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinegensler/
15. “Pascal Caputo.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalcaputo/
16. “Cari Collins.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carivanamburgcollins/