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Georgia BRIGHT has taken some crucial steps to prepare for the 2025 launch of Georgia BRIGHT 2.0, which will utilize $156M from the Solar for All program made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. The federal funds will support the expansion of affordable solar leasing to low-to-moderate income (LMI) households and small businesses across Georgia while introducing new program elements made available through Solar For All. See below for further details on those initiatives that are still being finalized with the EPA.
Since the Georgia BRIGHT pilot started a year ago, momentum and community support have been building for our unique solution to the problem of LMI families carrying an unfair energy burden while lacking access to renewable energy.
More than 70 families are enjoying energy savings and resilience against power outages thanks to their Georgia BRIGHT solar panels and battery storage systems. For example, Athens resident Delmira Jennings and her husband John endured several power outages from strong storms on their wooded property before Georgia BRIGHT solar panels and a battery storage system were installed on their home in February. Sharing her experience, Jennings explained that she was grateful for the opportunity to positively impact the environment in an affordable manner. “When Georgia BRIGHT sent the proposal, it was easy to see what the savings would be compared to other solar options that we’ve looked into” she added, noting that they are grateful to reduce their use of fossil fuels.
Georgia BRIGHT Solar Communities will help nonprofits and other organizations take advantage of cost savings and clean energy. We are grateful to Candide Group’s Afterglow Climate Justice Fund for their $3M investment in this program, which already has eight Solar Energy Procurement Agreements (SEPAs) signed. We recently celebrated the installation of solar panels on the roof of Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesboro. The project allows the parish to put part of their faith, Care for Creation, into practice by pursuing more sustainable, climate friendly energy sources like solar. “Georgia BRIGHT Solar Communities provides an opportunity that didn’t exist for nonprofits to benefit from solar power,” says church rector Father Charles Todd. We appreciate the help of our local partner Georgia Interfaith Power & Light on this project.
Georgia BRIGHT would not be enjoying the success it has without the leadership of our Program Director Alicia Brown, who was recently named one of Grist’s top 50 leaders to watch. Brown has established a diverse 40-member advisory board to guide Georgia BRIGHT’s strategy and community engagement. It includes stakeholders from the worlds of clean energy, community development and environmental justice. They include Dr. Reginald Parker, co-founder and CEO of Green Power Ventures (GPV); Chandra Farley, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Atlanta ; and Michael Hawthorne, Jr., co-founder of Klean Energy Kulture.
If you want to learn more about Georgia BRIGHT, please watch our recent Georgia BRIGHT: Solar for All Stakeholder webinar. During this interactive session, Program Director Alicia Brown covered and answered questions on program goals, details, and timelines, and provided information about how you can get involved as a community partner, project host, contractor, or participant.
To fill out an application for the pilot phase of Georgia BRIGHT click here. Bear in mind that federal funding comes with strict regulations to ensure we are serving the communities who need it most, so eligibility will be more strict for Georgia BRIGHT 2.0 than it has been for the pilot. More information can be found via GeorgiaBRIGHT.org. Those interested can also sign up for our monthly newsletter to receive updates here.
