A "Little" Background
The Southern Energy Network was created to build on the momentum from
the first Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference (SSREC) in 2004
when 200 students from around the Southeast converged in North
Carolina. We are now organizing the fifth annual SSREC
to be held at Valdosta State University in February 2008. Since then,
we have grown our network to more than 65 campuses and directly
supported campaigns for renewable energy and efficiency at 25 campuses.
We also connect over 1000 students and alumni around the region.
The Southern Energy Network is a founding member of the Energy Action Coalition,
a North American coalition of youth united for a clean energy future,
which was formed in the summer of 2004. As a part of Energy Action we
have coordinated our work with partner organizations around the United
States and Canada, have been a part of multiple international days of
action to stop global warming, and we’re the lead organization working
on the Campus Climate Challenge in the Southeast.
The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
is the fiscal sponsor of the Southern Energy Network and our
partnership offers us administrative support and allows us to stay
connected to Southern energy policy, politics and news including dirty
energy battles and clean energy opportunities for the youth
we work with.
History
Students visiting Buffalo Mtn, TN the only commercial wind farm in the Southeast at the 3rd annual Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference (SSREC)
In the Spring of 2003, UNC–Chapel Hill & Duke University were
the first Southeast Universities to successfully implement student
driven campus renewable energy initiatives. Typical of great leaders,
the North Carolina students then decided to create a forum to share
what they had learned with neighboring schools in the Southeast. The
concept of the Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference (SSREC) was born.
Student organizers from UNC–Chapel Hill, Duke University , and North
Carolina State University began planning for the conference in the Fall
of 2003, adding Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to the planning
committee in December of 2003. On April 2 nd, 2004, over 200 students
from around the Southeast descended upon Durham and Raleigh, North
Carolina for a weekend full of learning, networking and laughs.
In the two weeks before the first SSREC conference there were 3 exciting breakthroughs
in the Southeast:
The University of the South ( Sewanee , TN ) students approved a fee
raise of $15, $30, and then $45 each year over the next 3 years to
purchase 5, 10, and then 15% of the university’s electricity from clean
energy. Appalachian State University ( Boone , NC )—over 80% of the
voting students approved a $5/semester fee increase to support
renewable energy projects on-campus. The fee was just finalized by
UNC-system Board of Governor approval.
UT-Knoxville—over 60% of students approved of a $8/semester fee
increase to be invested in energy efficiency, on-campus renewable
energy production, and utility purchases of renewable energy. The
administration did not approve of this plan, but students have been
working with the administration to support renewable energy in other
ways, and it looks like the fee will be implemented in the 2005/06
school year.
The atmosphere of the first conference was charged with excitement
and anticipation realizing the possibilities of transforming Southeast
universities into sustainable living communities. Since the April
conference, many activists have continued to work on energy issues;
some have even lead successful initiatives on their campus since April!
Other energy initiatives in the Southeast include: biodiesel,
alternative transportation, green building, and energy efficiency
campaigns
In August 2004, the Southeast Student Climate & Energy Network
(SSCEN) (which has morphed into the Southern Energy Network) was formed
as a way to continue building momentum in the Southeast for support of
climate and energy policies by acting as a catalyst and guiding agent
to institutions of higher learning from the shores of Florida, to the
hills of Appalachia, to the banks of the Mississippi River which are
leading their communities towards a clean energy future.
February 18-20, 2005 around 200 students gathered in Knoxville Tennessee for
the 2nd annual Southeast Student Renewable Energy Conference (SSREC) .
Students got an opportunity to visit the only commercial wind farm in
the Southeast at Buffalo Mtn, TN on Friday, then Friday night and
Saturday were filled with speakers and informational panels about
issues from mountain top removal to climate destabilization. Sunday
kicked off with a transportation panel and then involved campus and
state breakouts. Students came out of Sunday with plans to stregthen
their energy campaigns, and many states decided to have meetups in the
Spring of 2005 from SC to FL!
SEN is a member of Energy Action Coalition, a North American coalition of youth united for a clean energy future, which was formed in the summer of 2004. SEN worked on outreach in the Southeast for a North American Day of Action to Declare Independence from Dirty Energy in
October 2004, during which 280 campuses took action for clean energy in
solidarity. SEN plans to work with Energy Action on upcoming days of
action and summer plans for the Summer of 2005. Traditionally, students
have been on the leading edge of social change in the United States.
With the looming threats of fuel shortages, global climate
destablization, environment and societal health problems associated
with dirty energy production, and rising sea levels, energy issues will
be no different. Students are already playing an instrumental role in
transforming the ideals and convictions of this country and continent, but we've got a long way to go!
