Myths and facts about electricity in the U.S. South

This paper identifies six myths about clean electricity in the southern U.S. These myths are either propagated by the public at‐large, shared within the environmental advocacy culture, or spread imperceptibly between policymakers. Using a widely accepted energy‐economic modeling tool, we expose these myths as half‐truths and the kind of conventional wisdom that constrains productive debate. In so doing, we identify new starting points for energy policy development. Climate change activists may be surprised to learn that it will take more than a national Renewable Electricity Standard or supportive energy efficiency policies to retire coal plants. Low‐cost fossil generation enthusiasts may be surprised to learn that clean generation can save consumers money, even while meeting most demand growth over the next 20 years. This work surfaces the myths concealed in public perceptions and illustrates the positions of various stakeholders in this large U.S. region.