Tennessee currently has no statewide requirements for interconnection of renewable energy systems other than standards established under the federal PURPA law.

For general information about contractual interconnection issues, please read Contractual Interconnection - Frequently Asked Questions

Wind Energy Systems Exemption
Tennessee House Bill 809, passed in June 2003, states that wind energy systems operated by public utilities, businesses or industrial facilities shall not be taxed at more than one-third of their total installed cost. This law applies to the initial appraisal and subsequent appraisals of wind energy systems. Contact the Tennessee Department of Revenue for more information.

Small Business Energy Loan Program
The Tennessee Energy Division offers low-interest loans of up to $100,000, with terms of up to 7 years, for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Small businesses with fewer than 300 employees or less than $3.5 million in annual gross sales or receipts are eligible. Loans cannot be used for new construction or business start-up. All renewable energy technologies are eligible under the program's guidelines. In addition to low-interest loans, the Energy Division offers free audits and technical assistance. Contact the Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development for more information.

TVA - Green Power Switch Generation Partners Program
Tennessee Valley Authority and participating power distributors currently offer a dual-metering option to residential and small-commercial consumers through the Green Power Switch Generation Partners program.

TVA will purchase the entire output of a qualifying system at $0.15 per kWh through a participating power distributor, and the consumer will receive a credit for the power generated. Participation in this program is entirely up to the discretion of the power distributor. As of June 2004 there is one 20-kW wind project utilizing this program.

Until a total capacity of 150 kW has been reached, the owner of a qualifying residential system will receive a $500 payment when the site is connected to the grid. The goal for the entire program is 5 MW. For more information contact the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The US Department of Energy has produced wind resource maps for each state. The map for Tennessee can be found here. You may also find the definitions of Wind Power Classes for the maps helpful.

There is additional information in the Wind Energy Atlas of the United States, where you can review maps for other locations in the US or get more information about how the maps were created.

You may also find useful information at the web site for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This site contains extensive information about wind resources in the United States.

Source Guides maintains a list of Renewable Energy businesses in Tennessee.

You can find a list of East Tennessee Power Distributors at the East Tennessee Economic Development Agency website. There is an alphabetical listing of the consumer-owned electric utilities in the western region of the Tennessee Valley at the Energy Right website.

Department of Economics & Community Development
Tennessee Tower
312 8th Avenue, North, 9th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 741-2994
Fax: (615) 741-5070
Web Site: http://www.state.tn.us/ecd/energy.htm

Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) is not-for-profit, non-partisan organization working with citizens for clean air, clean water and healthy communities in the Southeast by advancing energy efficiency and sustainable energy policies, promoting clean energy technologies and holding polluters to higher standards.

Powering the South is an organization that addresses the question of whether generation of electricity in the South has to carry with it disastrous levels of air pollution, or whether clean technologies that solve pollution problems raise the cost of electricity to households and businesses in the South. Their website is a free flow of ideas among communities in the southern region. Powering the South maintains a list of Tennessee Legislative Links & Current Legislation that will keep you updated on current activities.

Tennessee Green Online is currently developing a new website and information source that you can find here in the future.

Foundation for Global Sustainability is a multi-disciplinary advocacy and activist organization which monitors and addresses social and environmental issues in the Upper Tennessee Valley and the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Last Updated: April 2005

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