Georgia, Land Of Peaches, Now Also Land Of Solar Power | EarthTechling

Georgia, Land Of Peaches, Now Also Land Of Solar Power

by Natural Resources Defense Council

Is the coming together of business-minded Republicans, conservative Tea Partiers and renewable energy advocates down in Georgia a sign of bigger things to come?

On July 11, Georgia’s Public Service Commission voted to approve a requirement for the state’s largest electric supplier, Georgia Power, to increase the amount of solar energy on its electric grid, by 525 megawatts in 2016. That’s enough solar to power nearly 50,000 Georgia homes.

This solar installation at a peanut farm in Donalsonville, Georgia was built using Suniva solar panels manufactured in Norcross. Suniva recently announced it is hiring 50 new workers, thanks to increased demand for solar power. (image via Suniva)

This solar installation at a peanut farm in Donalsonville, Georgia was built using Suniva solar panels manufactured in Norcross. Suniva recently announced it is hiring 50 new workers, thanks to increased demand for solar power. (image via Suniva)

This is big victory for Georgians, who will start seeing a number of new solar projects in their state. This means more solar on schools, like this school in Dublin. It means more jobs in solar manufacturing, like Suniva’s announcement to hire fifty new workers in Norcross. It means more rural utilities purchasing solar, like Cobb EMC.

But it also might say a little something about our ever-changing country. All too often, Americans are divided, with issues and people regarded as either red or blue. Actions like this show how renewable energy can unite us. Yesterday, a photo on an Atlanta newspaper website showed Tea Partiers and members of the Sierra Club cheering together to support of the ruling. And keep in mind, this was an all-Republican Public Service Commission voting 3-2 in favor of solar energy.

via Georgia, Land Of Peaches, Now Also Land Of Solar Power | EarthTechling.