Georgia maturing as a solar market

April 5, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power is celebrating the success of the first phase of its Advanced Solar Initiative (ASI), which will significantly increase Georgia's solar investment over the next three years.

Georgia Power's ASI seeks to add 210 MW to the state's solar infrastructure by the end of 2015. In an overwhelming response to the overall program, the small and medium-scale program has drawn more than 1,000 applications for the first 45 MW available in 2013; another 45 MW will be available in 2014. The utility began accepting applications on March 1^st of this year.

In its 2012 nationwide survey of solar development, the Solar Energy Industries Association reported that the U.S. solar market accounted for more than 10 percent of the global solar market for the first time in recent history. However, Georgia did not feature prominently into those figures.

The level of participation in the ASI program marks an increasing level of maturity in Georgia as a solar market.

"Our solar industry is providing local jobs, investment and economic activity throughout the state," said Mark Bell, president of Empower Energy Technology and Georgia Solar Energy Association chairman. "We are continuing to work toward Georgia's full solar market potential."

For more:
- see this article
- request the SEIA report

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/georgia-maturing-solar-market/2013-04-05