Michael Chanin knows exactly when the seed of Cherry Street Energy was planted. It was Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. “It was the light bulb moment,” Chanin said. “That was the seminal launch.” He was meeting with attorney Steven Richman at the Cherokee Town Club for a Friday fried chicken meal. Richman asked Chanin if he […]
Tag: Solar energy
Posted inColumns
Residential solar – New state policy, federal incentives could make this a break-out year
By Guest Columnist PETER DYE, academic manager at Oglethorpe University and clean energy advocate
Solar power is on the rise for Georgia’s businesses, and more and more companies are jumping on board this trend due to falling costs and increased pushes for sustainability. Facebook is building a solar farm in Newton County to power its new data center. Agnes Scott College is using solar energy to offset the campus’ carbon emissions. Even Georgia’s beer is being brewed with help from the sun thanks to Terrapin Beer Co.’s recently installed solar rooftop.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Georgia Legislature provides a few wins for environmentalists: Solar energy, plastic bags
Georgia lawmakers have resolved two bills in favor of environmentalists – by passing one bill that promotes the installation of solar power, and by killing another that aimed to prevent local governments from regulating plastic bags.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Georgia’s solar industry adds jobs as PSC calls for more solar energy
Georgia has climbed to 16th place in the nation in 2013 for the number of workers in the solar industry, according to a new report by The Solar Foundation.
Georgia has added some 1,800 solar jobs since 2012, bringing the total number of jobs in Georgia’s solar industry to about 2,600, the report found.
“This report shows that the solar industry is putting people to work to meet a growing percentage of our energy needs with a pollution-free energy source that has no fuel costs,” Jennette Gayer, with Environment Georgia, said in a statement announcing the report.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Solar energy meeting follows PSC ruling that Ga. Power significantly expand its solar portfolio
Now that Georgia's utility regulator has authorized the additional development of solar power in the state, attention is turning to questions of how that power will be governed.
In less than a year, Georgia’s Public Service Commission has approved 735 megawatts through solar power arrays. Georgia Power voluntarily provided the first 210 megawatts that was approved last winter. The PSC voted last week to require the additional 525 megawatts as part of a broader Georgia Power docket.
The solar expansion happens to have come to a head just as the Georgia Solar Energy Association hosts a forum on Thursday in Atlanta. The featured speaker is coming from North Carolina, where there was a movement this year to roll back some of the state’s significant goals for producing renewable energy.
