Promoting carbon-free energy in Georgia
Georgia Power Company’s 2023 Integrated Resource Plan Update
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Load Growth from Data Centers and Manufacturing
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Biden, the state of Georgia is seeing large infrastructure investments like data centers used for Artificial Intelligence. AI-assisted work and manufacturers like the QCells solar module factory in Dalton, Georgia have large electrical service requirements.
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Take a Pass on Gas
Georgia Power Company is proposing 1,400 MW of new gas-fired capacity at Plant Yates near Newnan, GA plus another 1,000 MW gas from Mississippi and Florida. Natural gas prices skyrocketed in 2022 with Georgia Power Company handing 100% of the fuel bill to ratepayers.
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Solar + Batteries + DERs + Capacity Sharing
There are many better solutions than gas-fired capacity. GCES will share these recommendations—supported by evidence and analysis—to the Commission for their consideration. Georgia Power Company’s current 2023 IRP Update falls short of being affordable, reliable, and sustainable.
Biden Administration investments in Georgia are paying off:
Investing In Georgia’s Communities
Prioritizing Georgia’s Rural and Underserved Communities
Saving Georgians Money on Home Energy Bills
Make a donation.
If you care about accountability in the Public Service Commission and our monopoly electricity provider, if you care about thoughtful analysis and prudent expenditure of public dollars, and if you want to leave Georgia a better place than you found it, please consider a donation to the Georgia Center for Energy Solutions, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit. Your donation is tax deductible. Thank you.
Georgia Center for Energy Solutions
Georgia Center for Energy Solutions (GCES) advocates for clean energy in the U.S. state of Georgia. This means a decarbonized electrical grid that is powered by renewable and nuclear sources, a transportation network that is largely electrified and using carbon-free fuels, and a re-invention of all areas of Georgia’s economy to eliminate carbon emissions as a result of energy use.
There are many solutions to repower Georgia for a clean energy future.
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Solar Power
Georgia is blessed with abundant solar resources, the fuel costs for which are exactly $0. All Georgians have the right to farm the sun, just as we have the right to farm the land and the waters of this great state. Georgia needs far more distributed rooftop solar and utility-scale solar than it currently has and it must be fairly remunerated.
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Energy Storage
Storing excess renewable energy that would otherwise be curtailed then dispatching it flexibly during net peak demand is incredibly beneficial to the grid and drives down the cost of electricity for everyone. Storage combines with solar to create new value greater than the sum of solar and storage as separate assets. Batteries with rooftop solar provide resiliency to the consumer and system alike. Pictured is Rocky Mountain Pumped Storage Hydroelectric facility in North Georgia.
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Regional Transmission Organization
Open market access and fair market competition are critical to expanding access to carbon-free energy, increasing grid reliability, and lowering the costs of electric production. Georgia must revoke the monopoly license on electric service and enact wholesale market deregulation via a Regional Transmission Organization. The flawed approach and approval process of the Southeast Energy Exchange Market will poorly benefit Georgia and ratepayers compared to an RTO, which would save Georgia $74 billion through 2050.
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Nuclear Power
Even though Vogtle Units 3&4 were proposed and built under false pretenses and will cost 5x as much as solar power ($150/MWh for Vogtle vs. $30/MWh for solar), Georgia can use its nuclear fleet to support the transition to a fully decarbonized electric grid and economy.