Supporting Georgia's Clean Energy Future
Discover how Georgia is leading the way to a sustainable clean energy future.
Shifting from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy is vital to achieving the low-carbon future we need to combat climate change. Fortunately, Georgia’s land characteristics and plentiful sunshine make the state perfect for home-grown renewable energy. Combined with technological advances that have decreased the cost of solar by 37% between 2014 and 2024, the state’s solar industry is growing quickly. Between 2014 and 2023, Georgia increased its solar output by 3,700% and we are showing no signs of slowing down. In 2024, Georgia was ranked 7th in the nation for installed solar, with enough solar energy being produced to power over 850,000 homes!
Compared to other energy resources, renewable energy requires a lot of land—especially for the utility-scale solar installations that make up the majority of new energy investments in Georgia. While it is vital that we accelerate Georgia’s transition to cleaner energy, we need to work together to find solutions that don’t harm local communities or ecosystems. That is why we are working with partners to create new tools and resources that will grow the solar industry in Georgia while supporting our treasured landscapes and species.
Georgia Low Impact Solar Siting Tool (LISST)
Solar development is rapidly expanding in Georgia, bringing a beneficial source of green jobs and revenue for the state as well as providing clean renewable energy to Georgia. Unlike power facilities that run on coal or gas, solar energy is free of the carbon pollution caused by burning fossil fuels. Proactively selecting solar sites away from sensitive landscapes can reduce project delays and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy while minimizing impacts to natural ecosystems and imperiled species such as the gopher tortoise. Avoidance of Georgia’s more sensitive lands protects habitats and supports the resiliency of Georgia’s ecosystems.
That is why we worked with partners to develop the Georgia Low Impact Solar Siting Tool (GA LISST), which aims to encourage large-scale solar development in areas of lower environmental sensitivity. The GA LISST is an early screening tool designed to help solar developers, local governments, landowners, utilities, and regulators proactively identify sites that are ideal for large-scale solar facilities in areas of low conservation concern.
A Brighter Solar Future
As Georgia residents know, our state is home to an incredible diversity of plant and animal species spread across several unique ecosystems, including longleaf pine forests, the Appalachian Mountains, coastal marshes, and rolling planes. They all have their own unique characteristics and can even vary from one acre to the next. That is why it is important that, as solar energy production and deployment continues, we take care not to place any undue burden on the surrounding environment.
In partnership with the Georgia Wildlife Federation, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Power, Green Power EMC, and many others, we developed a set of recommended practices that provide Georgia-specific guidance on how to deploy solar energy responsibly and sustainably across the state. The recommendations span everything from site selection and design to construction and maintenance, giving developers the tailored guidance they need to understand Georgia’s unique resources and how best to protect them during development.
Building Conservation into Corporations
Companies in Georgia and across the U.S. are making ambitious commitments to clean energy. These clean energy buyers are uniquely positioned to help drive the smart buildout we need to see. Imbedding social and environmental considerations into their energy buying decisions, these companies can ensure renewable energy purchases have the greatest positive impact for both climate and biodiversity.
That is why TNC is working with companies like Rivian to create new guidelines like the Purpose-Driven Toolkit which provide resources to allow clean energy buyers to align their growing energy needs with the “3C” principles of climate, conservation, and communities. It will take all of us working together – governments, non-profits, and corporations – to reach our renewable energy goals and protect us from the worst impacts of climate change.
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