GA Solar Blog
Search blog
For More Information: Don Moreland, Admin@GaSolar.org, c-703-475-3228 Atlanta, GA – New testimony filed by the Georgia Solar Energy Association shows that expanding a solar program managed by Georgia Power to just 3% of customers would create 2,422 new jobs and help customers reduce electricity bills by over $75 million per year through energy savings and grid-efficiency improvements. Georgia Power’s monthly-netting pilot program which provides credits to homes and businesses for the solar energy they push back onto the grid, was capped to just 5,000 customers by the Public Service Commission in 2019. The program became over-subscribed within two-years, and added more customer-owned solar energy in Georgia than the previous 20-years combined. The solar energy industry currently employs 5,341 Georgians. Georgia Solar Energy Association’s testimony, authored with support from Greenlink Analytics, indicates that an expansion of the pilot program to 80,000 customers will add another 1,477 jobs directly to the State’s solar industry and 945 indirect jobs. In polling released earlier this year , 80% of all Georgians supported the expansion of the monthly netting program. As a part of Georgia Power’s rate-case filing, the company seeks to prohibit the addition of new customers into the monthly-netting program, to charge customers a new $200 fee to add solar energy systems to their homes and businesses, and to increase utility rates by 12% over the next two years. “The evidence is clear that Georgians want more clean energy, and that clean energy is good for all Georgians,” said Don Moreland, Executive Director of the Georgia Solar Energy Association. “Georgia Solar is urging the commission to restore the monthly netting program without a cap for the next three years to allow Georgia customers to be fairly compensated for the benefit they provide to the grid” Monthly netting is a basic utility policy that has helped neighboring states like North and South Carolina allow more customer-owned solar energy systems. Public proceedings in the Rate Case continue on November 28th with a decision expected from the Commission on December 20th. Read Georgia Solar’s full testimony here
Grateful, humble, and deeply appreciative are just a few words that come to mind when thinking about the 2023 Solar Summit this past Tuesday at the Kendeda Building at Georgia Tech. The speakers all brought their A-game to put on a fantastic and informative show before an amazing turnout of ~150 clean energy professionals, advocates, and enthusiasts. There are too many people that helped make this one of the best Solar Summits ever, but a very special thanks goes out to a few people who without their generous contributions, the event would not have been possible. It all starts with Dr. Marilyn Brown who not only sponsored this year's event but also put together an amazing panel of researchers that centered equity as being a fundamental cornerstone of a clean energy future. We would be remiss not to recognize our gratuitous hosts at the Kendeda Building, but more specifically, Shan Arora, whose name may be familiar to those that have been in the clean energy space for a while. Shan made the planning, logistics and catering for the event appear effortless but we know he worked hard to make this year's event special. A special thanks goes out to our keynote speakers, Bill Nussey and Charles Hua, who both brought critical information and insights that provided a clear vision of the future of solar and electrification. Finally, we want to thank the GA Solar board members that worked tirelessly behind the scenes these past few months to organize the event and bring it in for a soft landing. Without the support from Co-Chairs Christopher Matos-Rogers and James Reilly, Co-Vice Chair Gustavo Arce, and board members Michael MacMiller, Polly Sadler, and Charles Herrig, this event would not have been possible. From all of us at GA Solar to all of those that attended, sponsored, and participated in the 2023 Solar Summit, a heartfelt thank you goes out to all of you that made this event special and helped solidify GA Solar as the premier solar education and advocacy nonprofit organization in Georgia. We promise to continue our efforts to add value to your membership and make Georgia a great place to do business for solar energy. Don Moreland, Executive Director Check out the photos below!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2023 ATLANTA -- After 10 consecutive years of bringing the Georgia solar industry together for one day of networking, education, and collaboration to make Georgia a better place to do business for solar, the Georgia Solar Energy Association annual Solar Summit took a hiatus in 2019, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the Georgia Solar Summit is back for 2023, on October 10th, at the Georgia Tech Kendeda Building . It seems there has been a lot of pent-up demand since our last Solar Summit because this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever. Whether it be the great lineup of speakers, incredible sponsors, all-day and all-inclusive catering, or the beautiful setting of the Kendeda Building, this year’s event will be second to none. Here is what you can expect at this year’s event. > See Event Itinerary Here Bill Nussey, Morning Keynote Speaker, 9:00 am; Sponsor: PV Heating & Air Don’t miss our featured keynote speaker, Bill Nussey, give an inspiring, forward-thinking vision of how the solar industry will look 3, 5, and 10 years from now. This is an opportunity to learn from a premier clean energy thought leader. Bill Nussey, author of Freeing Energy, a podcast by the same name, and partner at venture firms Engage and Tech Square Ventures, will help guide you from where distributed energy technologies are now to how they will become a key part of our clean energy future. Doors open at 8:30 so get there early and get ready. Coffee, juice, and breakfast snacks will be served. REGISTER FOR SOLAR SUMMIT HERE Georgia Solar Policy, 9:45 am – 11:00 am; Sponsor: GaSEIA; Panel Flyer We have assembled some of the most impactful lawmakers and policy experts in Georgia to give a preview of next year’s legislative session and what’s next at the Public Service Commission. The Georgia Solar Policy panel discussion includes frontline policy influencers Representative Mandisha Thomas, Senator Ed Setzler, Representative Joseph Gullet, PSC Commissioner Tim Echols, and SELC Staff Atty Bob Sherrier. Topics of discussion will include active bills SB 210, HB 73, and HB 355; Georgia Power mini-IRP and RFI; and other important policy information that you will not get anywhere else. Solar and Equity, 11:15 am – 12:30 pm; Sponsor: Keep Echols PSC; Panel Flyer Clean energy leader and the primary sponsor for this year’s event, Regents' and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems in the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy, Dr. Marilyn Brown has assembled an all-female, all-star research and solar advocacy panel to discuss the important role that solar energy plays in the quest for a fair and equitable transition. Next, Carys Behnke, ORISE Science & Technology Policy Fellow at U.S. Department of Energy, will review her research from her graduate thesis at Georgia State University on rooftop solar uptake in the City of Atlanta, which concludes that the uptake of rooftop solar in Black neighborhoods in Atlanta is not a depiction of equity, but a display of ongoing gentrification and the pushing out of Atlanta’s black population overall. Lastly, Laura Taylor, Interim Director of the Energy, Policy, and Innovation Center at Georgia Tech will lead an in-depth discussion about the utility-scale solar, land values, and the impact of solar on land values and vice versa. The transition to a clean energy future will only happen once and it is incumbent upon all of us in this space to ensure the transition is inclusive and that the benefits go to the whole rather than the few. This is your chance to engage in that effort. Lunch and Keynote Lunch Speaker, 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm; Sponsor: Mokun Solar Technology During the lunch break, we will hear from special guest and keynote speaker, Charles Hua, a Policy Analyst at Rewiring America. We’ve all heard about the Inflation Reduction Act but now we will hear from one of the policy experts that helped shape the IRA and get it across the finish line. Charles will discuss what residential building electrification is, why people should care, and what opportunities lie ahead. He will plan to dive more into the $9 billion Home Energy Rebates Program through the Inflation Reduction Act, a transformative investment opportunity to modernize the way we heat and cool our homes through electrification and efficiency measures, including heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction stoves, EVs, and rooftop solar. Charles will also dive into policies, programs, and practices that can support an equitable building electrification movement. Electrify Everything Panel, 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm; Sponsor: Cobb EMC; Panel Flyer Go beyond just generation in your business, gain insight on opportunities to vertically integrate end use services to address increasing consumer demand in electrification. We have a panel packed with industry leaders in the building, real estate, and HVAC space who not only work daily with consumers wanting to electrify, they’ve electrified their own homes. Policy expert, Charles Hua with Rewiring America and Jennette Gayer with Environment Georgia join in a fireside chat with Realtor and Coldwell Banker Associate Broker, Christopher Matos-Rogers, Southface EarthCraft Program Manager, Amelia Godfrey, and Owner of PV Heating & Air, Jason Peavey to share what their orgs are doing and experiencing locally and nationally. Leave with the why, the challenges, and the opportunities the solar industry can play in implementation. Federal Policy Panel, 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm; Sponsor: E2 Environmental Entrepreneurs; Panel Flyer Federal policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bi-partisan Infrastructure Law make historic investments in clean energy and clean transportation, but what does that mean for Georgia? With panelists including GEFA Director, Energy Resources Kristofor Anderson, EPD Environmental Engineer, Claudette Ayanaba, ARC Climate & Resilience Manager, Jon Philipsborn, Hanwha QCells Director, Strategy & Market, Scott Moskowitz, and Armagh Capital Managing Partner, Representative Jon Carson, our federal policy panel will explore the impact these policies have had on manufacturing in Georgia, identify beneficial tax credits and highlight two upcoming grant opportunities that could help the solar industry and solar enthusiasts. Reception, 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Stick around a little longer for the post-Summit reception, included with admission, where you can let your hair down and loosen your tie. This is all about taking some time to network with fellow attendees, enjoy adult (and non-adult) libations, and snack on an expertly crafted assortment of hors d'oeuvres. REGISTER FOR SOLAR SUMMIT HERE
©2024 | All Rights Reserved | The Georgia Solar Energy Association
Website powered by Neon One