Latest News
SEIA: Georgia Has Some of the Best Untapped Solar Resources in the World
February 26, 2009
Georgia, Southeast region poised to lead in solar jobs and power installed
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) president and CEO Rhone Resch today touted the vast potential for solar energy development in the Southeast United States, particularly the untapped state of Georgia.
"The United States has some of the best solar resources in the world ? resources that are more than double that of Germany, the current world leader in solar. With the right policies, solar can play a significant role in creating jobs, growing local economies and cutting energy costs for consumers and businesses," said Resch
"Those who claim the U.S. does not have enough sun to power our nation are simply wrong. In Georgia, 23.6 percent of electricity could come from rooftop solar alone*. As a policy investment, solar is one of the best values for putting Americans back to work and creating growth opportunities for utilities and small businesses alike in the Southeast and across the country," added Resch.
Georgia has more than two dozen solar energy installer, dealer and developer companies in the state. They are poised for continued growth and creating hundreds of permanent jobs over the next two years.
Besides rooftop solar projects, Georgia could gain considerable capacity from PV farms similar to Florida and North Carolina where utilities are also beginning to embrace the sun's fuel. Notably, Duke Energy in North Carolina plans to buy more than 10 megawatts of electricity from a solar farm that SunEdison is building in Davidson County. In early December, Florida Power & Light (FPL) broke ground on the first concentrating solar power plant north of Palm Beach County. In July, FPL selected SunPower to build two solar photovoltaic plants. When these projects are completed and brought online, they will make Florida the country's second-largest solar energy producer.
After the Southwest, the Southeastern United States boasts some of the best solar resources in the country. Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina have solar resources 60 percent better than Germany and are home to hundreds of companies that manufacture and install solar energy equipment.
*Source: EIA, DOE, Navigant Consulting, SEIA.
*U.S. Solar Resources Compared to Germany (Click Here for Larger Map)
###
Contacts:
Monique Hanis,
202.682.0556 ext. 4,
mhanis@seia.org
Jared Blanton,
202.682.0556 ext. 96,
jblanton@seia.org
Mark Sokolove,
703.302.8382,
mark@tigercomm.us
About SEIA
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Learn more at www.seia.org.
