As SACE’s Digital Communications Manager, one of my favorite things to do every week is search for four positive stories about clean energy across the Southeast. Maybe it’s a team of Florida college students learning to build and race EVs. Maybe it’s Georgia’s latest animal shelter going solar. Or maybe it’s the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians bringing the first electric school bus to North Carolina. No matter the story, each one is a little reminder of the incredible clean energy progress that is happening (and will continue to happen) across our region and the U.S.

Like so many of you, our staff and our families call the Southeast home. It is where we live, work, and play, from Florida to Georgia to North Carolina to South Carolina to Tennessee. And there’s no denying it — between the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene, the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton, a contentious election season, and more, it’s been a tough autumn for our region. I myself live in Asheville, North Carolina, where I unexpectedly found my hometown in the middle of a climate disaster. No matter which way you look at it, it’s certainly true: we’re not in Kansas anymore.

But amidst all the stories of loss, there have also been stories of resilience — stories of neighbors and nonprofits stepping up to help their communities in times of need. From solar-powered churches providing life-saving electricity to electric vehicles keeping a veterinary clinic running to Florida residents throwing pizza parties for lineworkers, we’ve picked just a few of our favorite stories of neighbors helping neighbors, communities coming together, and clean energy providing much-needed hope.

Climate solution: In the swelter of hurricane blackouts, some churches stay cool on clean power

As Hurricane Helene approached the U.S. Gulf Coast, New Orleans couple Verna Lee and Ronald Bailey, both 71, worried how long the batteries would last on the breathing machine Ronald relies on at night. Then they remembered their solar-powered neighborhood church still had power. There, they were able to charge the breathing machine and go back to sleep in their own home. The church is part of the Community Lighthouse Project, founded to provide essentials to community members facing blackouts using solar. Read more.

Her vet clinic went down in Hurricane Helene. Two EVs powered it back up

“Because we’re a vet clinic, we have to be available for emergencies.” When Dr. Erica Lacher’s veterinary clinic—which provides round-the-clock emergency care near Gainesville, Florida—lost power, she knew she needed a solution. So she plugged in her two EVs, a Ford F-150 Lightning and a Kia EV9. Thanks to the cars’ bidirectional charging, the power was back on in minutes, allowing her and her team to perform emergency care on cats, dogs, and even two horses. “It definitely saved lives.” Read more.

Solar companies unite in Helene disaster relief in North Carolina

Greentech Renewables Raleigh, Footprint Project, Land of Sky Regional Council of Governments, and the NC Sustainable Energy Association are partnering to support disaster relief in Western North Carolina, recently devastated by the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Together these organizations have set up microgrids and solar-powered generators so that areas without power can charge cell phones, power medical and mobility devices, and use WiFi. Read more.

Left photo of lineworkers enjoying a pizza party courtesy of LkldNow/Kimberly C. Moore; middle photo of The Footprint Project at work in Bakersville courtesy of AP Photo/Gabriela Aoun Angueria; right photo of an EV courtesy of driveelectric.gov/Jason Smith

Lakelanders show gratitude as effort to restore power winds down

Residents all over Lakeland, Florida thanked lineworkers who restored their service after Hurricane Milton knocked it out. Residents of Camphor Heights shared their carport fish fry with utility workers from Alabama, while residents of northwest Lakeland threw a pizza party for a crew from Wisconsin. These crews were among 500 additional lineworkers who were in Lakeland in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, helping to restore power to the more than 86,000 people who lost it during the storm. Read more.

Volunteers bring solar power to Hurricane Helene’s disaster zone

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Bobby Renfro set up a community resource hub near Bakersville, North Carolina. But he had a power problem. The loud gas-powered generator, which cost him $1,200, made it hard to hear the nurses, neighbors, and volunteers. Then came the Footprint Project, a nonprofit that provides solar energy to communities in crisis. The community’s new solar generator and six solar panels could now be used to keep medicines cold, power medical equipment, pump well water, and charge phones. Read more.

Electric vehicle keeps Asheville residents charged during Hurricane Helene

“It was a lifeline during those dark, anxious hours.” When Asheville resident Jason Smith’s friends joined him to ride out Hurricane Helene, it soon became obvious that their 3-kWh battery power bank was only going to get them so far. So his friends plugged in their Kia EV6. Thanks to the cars’ bidirectional charging, Smith and his friends were able to keep the fridge, lights, and electronics on. Without power at home for two weeks, they were able to top up the Kia’s battery at the local Sam’s Club fast chargers. Read more.

Follow along each week

These stories highlight just a few of the positive things happening in our area! Every day we see signs of hope. The Clean Energy Generation is creating a future powered by clean energy that leads to clean air and water, good jobs, and vibrant communities.

Would you like to see more stories like this? We’ve got just the thing for you! Every Thursday, we share the latest clean energy news on Instagram with #CleanEnergyNews. Join us as we celebrate the progress and signs of hope in the clean energy transition.

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Together, all of us who are taking action are part of the Clean Energy Generation movement. We’re coming together to create healthier communities and a more secure and sustainable environment, starting now. No matter your age, income, zip code, or abilities, you can play a role. You don’t have to have the answers, learning more is a great way to start. Join us, and we’ll share ideas, resources, tools, and practices to show how we can all be part of the transformation.

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The post A (Solar) Light in the Dark: Six Uplifting Stories from Hurricane Season appeared first on SACE | Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

A (Solar) Light in the Dark: Six Uplifting Stories from Hurricane Season