Electricity
Here’s the deal
Accelerating Georgia’s progress to renewables means increasing solar and putting waste heat to work in co-generation plants, capturing methane from landfills and turning it into power, and shifting our electricity usage to off-peak.
Cogeneration
Coge...
Cogeneration plants capture heat from industrial processes to warm buildings, manufacture products, or create electricity. Georgia’s textile, pulp and paper, food processing, lumber and other wood industries can help us reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 16 factories in the state capture waste energy to generate at least 25 MW of electricity each.
Demand
Response
Dema...
If more Georgians reduce electricity usage during “peak load” periods, we can reduce emissions significantly. If 187,000 households shift 10% of their peak to off-peak demand, we’ll eliminate 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
Rooftop Solar
Roof...
Solar panels combined with battery storage means buildings do not have to rely on gas- and coal-fired power that comes over the wires. By 2030, we could reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 295,000 new 5 kW solar roofs are installed.
Large-Scale
Solar
Larg...
Sometimes called solar farms, these large-scale installations feed electricity into the grid to power homes, schools, business and industry. By 2030, we could reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 10 additional 100 MW utility-scale solar installations and 36 additional 5 MW community solar systems come online.
Landfill
Methane
Land...
Landfill gas (methane) can be captured and put to use, preventing pollution and generating electricity and natural gas. We could reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 4 additional landfill facilities are retrofitted to house 5 MW gas-to-energy systems.
Cogeneration
Cogeneration plants capture heat from industrial processes to warm buildings, manufacture products, or create electricity. Georgia’s textile, pulp and paper, food processing, lumber and other wood industries can help us reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 16 factories in the state capture waste energy to generate at least 25 MW of electricity each.
Demand Response
If more Georgians reduce electricity usage during “peak load” periods, we can reduce emissions significantly. If 187,000 households shift 10% of their peak to off-peak demand, we’ll eliminate 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
Rooftop solar
Solar panels combined with battery storage means buildings do not have to rely on gas- and coal-fired power that comes over the wires. By 2030, we could reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 295,000 new 5 kW solar roofs are installed.
Large-Scale Solar
Sometimes called solar farms, these large-scale installations feed electricity into the grid to power homes, schools, business and industry. By 2030, we could reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 10 additional 100 MW utility-scale solar installations and 36 additional 5 MW community solar systems come online.
Landfill Methane
Landfill gas (methane) can be captured and put to use, preventing pollution and generating electricity and natural gas. We could reduce emissions by 1 million metric tons if 4 additional landfill facilities are retrofitted to house 5 MW gas-to-energy systems.
Here’s where we are
Electricity is Georgia’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Drawdown Georgia GHG Emissions Tracker, electricity sector emissions have decreased in recent years as coal plants were replaced with cleaner sources. In 2021, the electricity sector was responsible for about 53 million metric tons of GHG emissions.
Here’s where we are
Stories & Studies
How Georgia Congregations Support Climate Solutions
Georgia congregations are playing a vital role in ensuring that climate solutions benefit all people through a healthy environment, a stable climate, and resilient communities. One of the simplest ways for communities of faith in Georgia to take action toward
New Solar Array at Agnes Scott Thanks to Community Collaboration
What do ten years of advances in solar array technology look like? Visit Agnes Scott College’s newest and largest solar array on its Decatur campus, and you will see exactly that: a side-by-side visual comparison of what a decade of solar advancements
Solar Pre-Apprenticeship Program Can Yield Positive Change in Georgia
Investing in climate solutions can be a powerful way to improve lives, address historic inequities, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions all at once. One organization that keenly understands these connections is Sustainable Georgia Futures
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Georgia rank nationally in terms of community solar?
As of July 2020, Georgia’s community solar has grown to at least 104 MW across 20 projects. Georgia ranks fifth among the U.S. states in cumulative installed capacity of community solar, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
What is Georgia Power’s plan for expanding solar?
Georgia Power has included new solar capacity in its recent Integrated Resource Plans (IRP). Its 2019 IRP included plans for 2,000 MW of new utility-scale solar. The 2022 IRP included plans for an additional 2,300 MW of new renewable capacity.
Does solar in Georgia create jobs?
The 2021 National Solar Jobs Census from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) found that there were more than 5,300 solar jobs in Georgia, giving the state a solar jobs ranking of 14th in the nation.