THERESA GARCIA ROBERTSON: State needs to increase renewable energy

The 2019 Georgia Power Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) saw an increase of approximately 30% in renewable energy over a three-year period. Advocates, Conservatives for Clean Energy Georgia included, and renewable energy companies successfully argued that more renewable energy is good for Georgia, and the Public Service Commission saw fit to add more than was offered in the initial draft.

The 2022 IRP process offers another opportunity for Georgia to advance its energy interests and economy through more renewable energy.

All renewable energy in Georgia is delivered at below avoided cost. That means solar, biomass and wind are putting downward pressure on rates and saving consumers money while providing clean, renewable energy. The Georgia PSC has done an excellent job of balancing the economics of renewable energy, and it has been a tremendous success. For instance, Georgia has more solar than any other state without federal mandates. By 2024, we will rank fourth in solar production.

Over the next three months, the PSC will hear testimony on the 2022 IRP. CCEGA will be among those who encourage our leaders to put more renewable energy into the IRP than ever before. Georgia has become a hotbed for renewable energy companies, and increasing solar and biomass significantly can help hundreds if not thousands of Georgia businesses. There are solar farms in more than 70 counties in Georgia, and each community has benefitted from the commercial tax revenue and clean energy.

Rooftop solar also has significant room for growth. Currently, there is a cap of 5,000 potential customers. The program reached capacity quickly. Georgians clearly want more rooftop solar as private consumers. In the Southeast alone, there are hundreds of thousands of rooftop solar customers with no more issues than any other form of development.

The 2022 IRP process is vital to the future of Georgia. With coal being faded out of all major utility energy plans, renewable energy is the only answer to economically and logistically fill the void immediately. CCEGA strongly encourages the PSC to support Georgia businesses and ratepayers by significantly increasing distributed generation and utility solar, increasing biomass production for Georgia companies, and allowing Georgia’s consumers to make the move to rooftop solar if they so choose.

Conservatives for Clean Energy Georgia’s mission is to improve the lives of Georgians through more cost-effective and cleaner energy, to promote free markets, more competition, and a diverse portfolio of renewable energy sources to enhance our quality of life and to provide for our security.