Georgia

GEORGIA

Georgia is a state sprawling over 57 thousand square miles, 24th largest in the US, and half of that space is covered by pine trees; the state has the most commercial forestland in the country. With a quarter of California’s population, 10.6 million people call the Peach State home, making it the 8th largest in the US. In addition to peaches, Georgia is also a top producer of peanuts, pecans, and Vidalia onions.

Sea level rise poses an urgent threat to Georgia’s economy and environment, where seas are rising more rapidly because Georgia is subsiding. Mid-Atlantic states sit on a bulge, caused by an ice sheet during the last Ice Age, which is continuing to settle downwards. As a result, the sea level rise in this region is accelerating at twice the global average. More severe storms, a well-known result of climate change, are also a particularly concerning effect in Georgia, a state often in the path of hurricanes and tropical storms.

The increasing temperatures add to the threat Georgia’s economy faces, as warmer weather will reduce crop yield and human productivity in sectors like farming, construction, and utilities. Additionally, Georgia’s healthcare system ranks 46th in the country, with an infrastructure lacking to deal with the adverse health effects of extreme heat.
Two nuclear reactors are under construction in Georgia, the first to be approved by the US Nuclear Registration in 30 years, which have planned startup dates for 2021 and 2022. Currently, nuclear power comprises a sizeable portion of Georgia’s energy generation, outranking coal but falling short of natural gas. Renewable energy, however, makes up less than 8% of Georgia’s energy generation, about half of which comes from biomass.

Historically, state policies have been hostile to solar expansion and the state legislature has pushed back on creating incentives to lower the cost of solar energy. However, since 2013, when the PSC, led by Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, Jr., required Georgia Power to install hundreds of megawatts of solar farms, solar has become 2% of Georgia’s energy. And, in 2015, the state, joining with more than two-dozen other states, passed policies allowing third parties to finance limited-sized solar systems. Its Solar Power Free-Market Financing Act allowed homes and businesses to host solar panels installed and operated by a solar provider. As a result, Georgia has become #9 in the country for installed solar capacity.

While Georgia as a state has not committed to the Paris Climate Agreement or adopted a climate adaptation plan, Atlanta, Georgia’s largest city, has stepped up. In Atlanta, city-owned buildings will use only renewable energy by 2025 and the entire city will move to renewables by 2035. Polls show that Georgians tend to support the efforts being led by Atlanta; 75% support regulating CO2 as a pollutant and 82% support funding more research into renewable energy.

The Rising Sea: Climate Change in Georgia | Georgia Outdoors

CURRENT NEWS

Georgia’s largest utility looks to natural gas as it says it needs to generate more electricity soon

By Jeff Amy 10/28/23
Georgia Power Co. says increased demand for electricity is coming fast, asking regulators Friday to let it secure more power generation ahead of schedule.
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Major solar panel plant opens in US amid backdrop of industry worries about low-priced Asian imports

By Jeff Amy 10/18/23
A South Korean company has begun production at a huge new solar panel factory in Georgia even as industry leaders say surging Asian imports could dampen efforts to make more solar components in the United…
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Warming nights: The unseen cost of climate change in Macon and Georgia

By Ryan Marando 09/13/23
Since 1970, Climate Central says we’ve gained about 2.6 degrees in our average low temperature across the United States. Not only are nights warming faster, but they can also cause bigger health and financial issues.
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Georgia’s transformation into a regional energy powerhouse – and how investors can benefit

09/12/23
In June, the 32nd meeting of the Energy Efficiency Coordination Group, attended by delegations from countries across south-eastern Europe, gathered in Tbilisi, Georgia. It provided an opportunity to review the Georgian Energy Sector Reform Programme,…
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Middle Georgia small businesses receive $102,080 federal boost for renewable energy projects

By Jeff Cox 09/09/23
Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, has announced the allocation of $102,080 in federal funding to support…
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Citrus industry flowers in Georgia as winters get warmer

By Emily Jones 09/05/23
Georgia is well known for its peaches, blueberries, peanuts and pecans, but not its citrus. Neighboring Florida is a longtime citrus powerhouse, but Georgia’s always been too cold — until now. In the last decade,…
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Fields to pancakes: UGA researchers seek methods to keep blueberries growing amid climate change

By Jordan Powers 09/05/23
An assistant professor of horticulture in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and a small-fruit specialist with UGA Cooperative Extension, Rubio Ames endeavors to better understand blueberry plant physiology and how…
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Hurricane Idalia Storm Gaining Strength as It Advances on Florida Coast

By Abigail Geiger and Others 08/29/23
Hurricane Idalia continued to power toward Florida on Wednesday morning with wind speeds of about 120 miles per hour, as its rain bands lashed Florida’s west coast. The storm, expected to intensify further and become…
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GA’s record hot temps this summer connect to climate change. Now you can see for yourself

By Kala Hunter 08/21/23
“Going back 100,000 years, it was the hottest month ever on planet Earth,” Andrew Pershing, climate science director at the nonprofit Climate Central, said. In fact, “6.8 billion people, more than 81% of the global…
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Georgia will experience a heat dome this week. Here’s what that means and how you can prepare

By GPB 08/21/23
Temperatures near or above 100 degrees with a dangerous heat index are expected across the state of Georgia through Saturday.
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As Climate Changes, Farms In US ‘Peach State’ Georgia Suffer

By Agnes Bun 07/17/23
There is not a peach in sight this year in the orchards of Stuart Gregg, a farmer in Georgia, where 90 percent of the peach crop has been decimated by an abnormally mild winter, followed…
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Georgia, the Peach State, is out of peaches. Here’s why, and how locals are coping

By Ellie Stevens 07/15/23
Midsummer is the peak of juicy peach season in the state of Georgia. But, recently, the Peach Cobbler Factory in Atlanta ran out of peaches and was forced to pivot to… apple cobbler.
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PLANS TO ACCELERATE RENEWABLES

Gov’t to sign contracts “gradually” with winning companies of first auction of renewable energy projects

09/28/23
The Georgian Government will “gradually” sign the contracts with the companies that were declared winners of the first auction in projects for renewable energy infrastructure in July, the Economy Ministry said on Friday.

Georgia is generating more solar power. Getting it where it needs to go is a major challenge

09/18/23
To wean America off fossil fuels, the federal government is pouring billions of dollars into building renewable energy across the country.

Georgia is generating more solar power. Getting it where it needs to go is a major challenge

09/18/23
To wean America off fossil fuels, the federal government is pouring billions of dollars into building renewable energy across the country

Why don’t Coastal Georgia warehouses have solar on their roofs?

09/12/23
Coastal Georgia boasts an abundance of sunshine and a rapidly growing abundance of warehouses. But rarely do these two combine to produce electricity from rooftop solar.

Rural communities across Georgia will soon see millions for renewable energy

09/11/23
Sens. Warnock and Ossoff announced new federal grants for the state that will total over $7 million.

Enterprise Georgia to finance renewable energy production

09/07/23
Georgia’s export promotion agency Enterprise Georgia will finance projects aiming to produce electricity using renewable energy sources, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

How GOP-dominated Georgia became a hub for clean energy jobs

08/16/23
West of Savannah, Georgia, a multibillion-dollar EV factory under construction is sprawling—at 17 million square feet, it’s about two and a half times larger than Disneyland—and will create more than 8,000 jobs. Near Atlanta, a…

Hydrogen Aviation Brings Georgia Dems & Repubs Together As Heads Explode

08/07/23
State officials in Georgia have answered the call to fight against renewable energy, but apparently not all of their representatives in Washington got the memo. In the latest instance of energy policy disconnect, both of…

Amazon launches 1 local solar farm, on track for another

07/19/23
Amazon says it’s on track to launch its second solar farm in Burke County, and a new one in Warren County is now online.

This building in Georgia produces twice as much energy as it consumes — here’s why it’s inspiring awe worldwide

07/11/23
People from around the world have come to see a “living building” in the state of Georgia that produces more energy than it consumes.

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s deep-red Georgia district goes all in on green power

07/11/23
President Joe Biden and Marjorie Taylor Greene have at least one thing in common: They’re both big fans of a solar factory in this corner of northwest Georgia.

Tennessee, Georgia land $45 billion of private investments aided by new federal incentives

06/10/23
Vice President Kamela Harris flew into Chattanooga in April to herald what she said was a new era of American-based manufacturing and green investments, including the country's biggest solar panel manufacturing facility that is projected…

Georgia Students Envision a Clean Energy Economy for the Community

04/25/23
Residents in Clayton County, Georgia are no strangers to environmental action. In 2022, the Clayton County school district successfully applied for the first round of EPA Clean School Bus Program funding, and will be putting…

Harris promotes huge community solar deal in Georgia visit

04/07/23
Continuing its efforts to promote renewable energy, the Biden administration on Thursday announced what it says will be the largest community solar effort in U.S. history, enough to power 140,000 homes and businesses in three…

Why buildings are at the center of Atlanta’s fight vs. climate change

03/17/23
City sustainability chief Chandra Farley wants to boost an energy tracking program and tap federal funds to upgrade city properties

Georgia Power proposes $2.1-billion rate hike

03/03/23
Georgians’ electric bill could go up again by a lot. Georgia Power is asking the Public Service Commission for a rate increase of more than $2 billion. It could go even higher if its own…

A bipartisan bill would ban future mining around Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp

03/02/23
The Okefenokee Swamp, the largest blackwater swamp in North America and one of Georgia’s seven natural wonders, is a rare ecological treasure. Home to thousands of native plants and animals—including at least 15,000 alligators—it also…

Georgia bill establishes rules for EV charging

03/02/23
Georgia’s state House approves legislation designed to prepare the state for electric vehicles, establishing a tax on charging station use and that customers should pay by the kilowatt-hour. (Capital Beat)

EV fans celebrate Georgia charging bill, but some concerns remain

02/28/23
Electric vehicle advocates are cheering a bill that advanced out of a state House committee last week that would change how EV charging works in Georgia.

GASEIA Applauds Bill to Improve Market and Consumer Choice

02/20/23
The Georgia Homegrown Solar Act of 2023 builds on these successes to provide for (1) Updated Monthly Net Metering, (2) The Creation of Non-Profit Community Solar, and (3) Enhanced Customer Data Access. The bill does…

Georgia Cities Set Big Goals for Renewable Energy

10/11/22
Georgia communities are leading the way in making sure that all of us have clean air, affordable energy bills, and good jobs that help make our communities healthier and stronger. The unified government of Athens-Clarke…

How Georgia Power helps grow Atlanta’s data center industry

03/31/22
As Georgia Power converts more of its grid to renewable sources, the state becomes more attractive to data centers.

Another 70-MW solar project will support Facebook company Meta

03/28/22
The Tennessee Valley Authority, Meta (formerly Facebook), Jackson Energy Authority (JEA) and Silicon Ranch broke ground on a 70-MWAC solar facility in Madison County, Tennessee. The McKellar Solar Farm will support Meta’s regional operations with…

Sustainability planners at ATL draft plan for 100% renewable energy by 2035

03/22/22
Jeff Denno and Polly Sattler are proud of the recently opened ATL West parking garage at the airport. With fully programmable LED lighting, parking space detection, and dozens of electric vehicle charging stations, ATL West…

QTS Signs Agreement with Georgia Power That Adds Nearly 350 Megawatts of New Renewable Energy to the Power Grid in Atlanta

03/17/22
The agreement is part of Georgia Power's Customer Renewable Supply Procurement (CRSP) tariff. Through CRSP, energy from up to 1,000 megawatts of renewable resources will be available for subscription by new and existing commercial and…

Georgia Legislators Face Big Clean Energy and Transportation Opportunities

03/17/22
The five policies listed below are of particular significance for Georgia’s transition to clean energy and its role in addressing the climate crisis. The fate of these bills for this year will be decided in…

Silicon Ranch Selects Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives to Construct 70 MW Regenerative Solar Project in Georgia

03/16/22
Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc. (NASDAQ: IEA) (“IEA” or the “Company”), a leading infrastructure company with renewable energy and specialty civil expertise, today announced it has been awarded a contract by Silicon Ranch Corporation to…

Plug Power taps ABB for $300M hydrogen plants

03/10/22
The big picture: The first of the company's two new plants, "Project Gateway," will be North America's largest production facility for so-called green hydrogen. Located in Gennessee County in Upstate New York, it is set…

State Senate committee OKs bond financing option for Plant Vogtle project

03/08/22
Senate Bill 421 would authorize Georgia Power to pursue securitized bond financing to recover some of the costs of the Vogtle project as well as what the Atlanta-based utility is spending to retire its fleet…

Form Energy announces partnership with Georgia Power to test 100-hour iron-air battery

02/10/22
Georgia Power will collaborate with Massachusetts-based startup Form Energy to deploy an energy storage project of up to 15 MW/1500 MWh using a novel iron-air-exchange flow battery technology, the companies said Wednesday.

Georgia Power seeks nod for 2.3 GW more renewables in 2022

02/02/22
The proposal is included in the company’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which was submitted with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) on Monday, Georgia Power said. The IRP, filed every three years, outlines steps…

Georgia Power plans to double renewables, ditch all coal

02/01/22
The moves, which reflect the electric company’s continued transition to cleaner fuel sources, would help Southern achieve a net-zero carbon goal by 2050 for electricity. Other steps at Georgia Power include extending the life of…

Climate Champs Pressure Georgia Department of Transportation

01/27/22
Will the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (IIJA, P.L 117-58) perform well vis-à-vis important goals, especially tackling climate change and improving racial equity? It all depends on how it’s implemented.

Athens navigates 2035 renewable energy goals

By Jake Drukman 04/15/21
For Michael Songster, an Athens home builder, sustainability is more than just an interest. It’s about combating climate change, securing the future for his family and protecting the outdoor world he loves.

Preparing for Climate Change in Georgia

04/16/20
Georgia has not developed a statewide adaptation plan. Other resources from the Adaptation Clearinghouse, which have been developed by the state and localities to help communities prepare for climate change, are highlighted below.

KEY RESOURCES

Georgia Solar Panels: Pricing and Incentives

02/11/22
You might be surprised to learn that Georgia is a leader in solar energy. The state ranks 9th in the nation for solar energy generation and receives about 3.49 percent of its electricity from solar…

Georgia State Profile and Energy Estimates

09/24/21
Georgia is located at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has the largest land area of any state east of the Mississippi River. Elevations in the state increase from sea level along…

Energy State Bill Tracking Database

09/10/21
The searchable Energy Storage Legislation Database displays information in interactive maps and charts, tracking state activity from 2017 to the present.

The First National Flood Risk Assessment

10/06/20
The First Street Foundation Flood Model represents the culmination of decades of research and development made possible by building upon existing knowledge and frameworks regularly referenced in the identification of flood risk.

The Impacts of Climate Change and the Trump Administration’s Anti-Environmental Agenda in Georgia

09/19/20
Between 2017 and 2019, Georgia experienced four tropical cyclones, six severe storms, one winter storm, and one freeze. The damages of each event led to losses of at least $1 billion.

State-by-State: Climate Change in Georgia

07/31/20
Georgia is vulnerable to sea level rise, flooding, coastal storms and increasing temperatures which threaten the state’s agriculture and energy industries as well as human health

GIS for Climate Change Analysis, Planning, and Action

04/16/20
In the coming decades the state of Georgia will face larger and larger challenges due to climate change. With continuing business-as-usual greenhouse gas emissions, by 2100 the average temperature across the state will increase by…

Georgia Climate

04/16/20
The Georgia Initiative for Climate and Society brings together expertise from disciplines throughout the University of Georgia to share research on how our state will be affected by climate change.

Georgia Climate Conference explores what’s at stake for state

04/16/20
To stimulate conversation and share innovative solutions, the conference engaged experts and leaders from a sweeping range of perspectives. That included elected officials from both sides of the political aisle, state employees and mayors, public…

Climate Policy

04/16/20
Earth’s changing climate is one of Georgia’s most significant long-term environmental challenges. The Georgia Conservancy is therefore committed to the development and promotion of policies and practices that lessen the adverse impacts on the environment…

An increase in stagnant summer air is expected to continue across the U.S.

04/16/20
Georgia currently averages about 20 dangerous heat days a year. By 2050, it is projected to see more than 90 such days a year.

An Update on Our Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

04/16/20
In the spirit of fostering health and prevention in the wake of this pandemic, we’ve had to make some big scheduling changes here at Georgia Organics. On this page (click here), we have listed events,…

What does a changing climate mean for Georgia? What can we do about it?

04/16/20
We are building a state-wide network to address these questions.

HOW DOES CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT GEORGIA?

04/16/20
“Georgia. Georgia on my mind.” A state known for its sprawling peach fields, its southern hospitality, and as a gateway to the Appalachian Trail. It was the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the…

What Climate Change Means for Georgia

04/16/20
Our climate is changing because the earth is warming. People have

100% Renewable Energy

04/16/20
Imagine being able to power your life without harming the environment. Imagine our country producing and consuming energy while we enjoy healthy, livable communities. We have the power to give kids growing up today a…

Energy Generation

04/16/20
In a changing world where energy resources are becoming more scarce, alternative sources of energy become more important. The Center of Innovation for Energy Technology focuses on identifying and supporting the technologies that utilize local…

Georgia Profile Analysis

10/17/19
Georgia is located at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has the largest land area of any state east of the Mississippi River.1 Despite its location near Appalachian coalfields and oil and…

MORE NEWS

Georgia is creating its first-ever climate plan. Here’s what to expect

By Drew Kann   07/14/23  
There are 33 states in the U.S. — plus dozens more cities and towns — that already have plans in place to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the threats posed by a…
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Turning up the heat: How climate change is escalating snake bite risks in Georgia

By Jeff Cox   07/11/23  
As global temperatures continue to climb due to climate change, a new study reveals that the likelihood of snake bites is increasing in Georgia, a state known for its high snake density. The research, led…
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Georgia blueberries and peaches are hard to find. Blame severe weather

By Evan Lasseter   07/10/23  
It was a strange start to the year for most of Georgia’s fruit crops, particularly the state’s trademark peaches and blueberries.
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The world is sizzling from climate change. Georgia, not so much

By Tom Baxter   07/10/23  
Last week, as the world’s average temperature hit a new record four days in a row, the weather in Atlanta was pleasant. The rain, which interrupted the Peachtree Road Race, also kept temperatures down, and…
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Georgia Could Lose Up to 95 Percent of Its Peach Harvest Due to Wild Weather Swings

By Tori Latham   06/26/23  
The Peach State is having a hard time cultivating the stone fruit it’s become known for, The Washington Post reported over the weekend. Thanks to climate change, peach crops are struggling, with some experts estimating…
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Slim pickings: Peach crop wiped out across much of Georgia

By Meris Lutz and Drew Kann   06/02/23  
Jim Markley’s 1,300 peach trees are usually so laden with fruit this time of year his workers take a Wiffle bat to the branches to thin out the crop, leaving thousands of tiny unripe peaches…
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Georgia’s carbon emissions fell. Is it enough to halt climate change?

By Drew Kann   05/17/23  
As the planet continues to warm and heat records are shattered, there is some encouraging climate news: Total greenhouse gas emissions in Georgia fell by roughly 5% between 2017 and 2021, a report published this…
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Tackling climate change in Georgia | What it looks like

By Melissa Nord   05/17/23  
The conference in Athens brought together more than 500 people from various communities to talk about solutions to changing climate
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Georgia’s hedge against climate change: the Okefenokee’s peat

By Mary Landers   05/02/23  
As Michael Lusk pilots a flat-bottomed Carolina Skiff into the open water of the Okefenokee’s Grand Prairie, he spots his quarry. Several meters wide and dotted with grasses and water lilies it’s a soggy brown…
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A tougher pecan: Georgia farms explore climate change mitigation

By Marisa Mecke   04/27/23  
As spring arrives and summer draws near, Georgians are gearing up for in-season produce to crop up: pecans, peaches, melons, tomatoes and everything else under the Georgia sun. While Georgia may be best known for…
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GA Farmers Look to Congress for Support to Fight Climate Change

By Shanteya Hudson   04/11/23  
Georgia farmers are watching a bill that is being reintroduced in Congress for ways to help their farms become more sustainable and less likely to contribute to the warming climate. The Agriculture Resilience Act is…
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Georgia’s Years-Delayed Nuclear Plant Finally Starts Splitting Atoms

By Molly Taft   03/09/23  
The troubled Vogtle plant, which is billions of dollars over budget but will be a key source of carbon-free power, has reached a crucial milestone.
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Where is Future Public Safety Training Facility aka ‘Cop City’ in Atlanta?

By Devanshu   03/06/23  
Heavy plumes of smoke were seen coming from the future site of the Atlanta public safety training center as protestors clashed with police. Currently, there is a heavy police presence along Key Road in southeast…
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Georgia legislators call for funding for Cumberland Island erosion research

By Merisa Mecke   03/04/23  
The sandy beaches, expanses of marsh and wild horses on Cumberland Island draw visitors to the barrier island each summer, but as with every other beach on Georgia's coast, that beloved terrain is shifting.
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A warming climate meant fewer freezing nights this winter. What’s the effect on Georgia?

By Peter Biello   03/02/23  
Warming temperatures across the U.S. have meant fewer nights when the temperature drops below freezing. Climate scientists expect this trend to continue. According to meteorologists at the nonprofit Climate Central, assuming a moderate amount of…
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Analysis finds Renewables cheaper than all Southeast coal plants

By Maggie Shober   03/02/23  
Energy Innovation has released updated analysis comparing the cost of continuing to operate coal plants to replacing them with solar, wind, or batteries. The results are clear: continued reliance on coal is expensive, and each…
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100,000 Green Jobs Announced Since US Adopted Climate Law, Study Finds

By Carly Wanna   02/06/23  
Between last August, when President Joe Biden’s landmark climate bill became law, and the end of January, companies have announced more than 100,000 clean energy jobs in the US, according to an analysis released Monday…
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Climate Change Remains a Partisan Issue in Georgia Elections – Inside Climate News

By Meris Lutz   10/14/22  
This story comes from our partners at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. For more on the news and events in metro-Atlanta and Georgia, visit AJC.com. The next governor of Georgia and the winner of the state’s high-profile U.S.…
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State regulators approve Georgia Power’s plans to retire all coal plants by 2028 except for Plant Bowen

By Lulia Gheorghiu   07/22/22  
State regulators unanimously approved Georgia Power’s 2022 Integrated Resources Plan, or IRP, on Thursday, which includes retiring all of its coal plants by 2028, with the exception of two units from Plant Bowen totaling nearly…
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Georgia nuclear plant’s cost now forecast to top $30 billion

By Associated Press   05/09/22  
A nuclear power plant being built in Georgia is now projected to cost its owners more than $30 billion. A financial report from one of the owners on Friday clearly pushed the cost of Plant…
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Advocates call for faster climate action as Georgia Power hearings begin

By Emily Jones   04/01/22  
This coverage is made possible through a partnership with WABE and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
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Brief introduction to renewable energy incentives in Georgia

By Cocaz Legal   03/29/22  
Georgia is rich with untapped hydropower resources, but shows also potential for development of solar, wind and other renewable energy sources. The first attempts to incentivizing renewable energy generation, by establishing regulatory framework for renewable…
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Local governments want to weigh in on Georgia Power’s energy strategy

By Tyler Estep   03/22/22  
For the first time ever, a group of green-thinking local governments have requested permission to participate directly in the state’s review of Georgia Power’s plan for meeting future energy needs.
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Emissions data aims to help Georgians target climate change solutions, energy poverty

By Emily Jones   03/19/22  
Georgians can now see how much of the pollution that causes climate change is coming from their county. A new tool that shows emissions information by county comes as international scientists have released a report…
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How credit and climate change collide for Black farmers in Georgia

By Maggie Monast   03/18/22  
Earlier this week, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund hosted a listening session for its Black farmer-members in Georgia in collaboration with Environmental Defense Fund. The federation is a nonprofit cooperative association of Black…
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How an Electric Truck Factory Became a Lightning Rod in Georgia

By David Gelles   03/14/22  
It is billed as the largest economic development project in the history of Georgia, an electric vehicle factory that could grow to be five times as large as the Pentagon and produce as many as…
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How an Electric Truck Factory Became a Lightning Rod in Georgia

By David Gelles   03/14/22  
It is billed as the largest economic development project in the history of Georgia, an electric vehicle factory that could grow to be five times as large as the Pentagon and produce as many as…
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Ga. senator pushing to help Tybee Island combat climate change

By WTOC Staff   03/09/22  
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff is pushing for hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding to create a network of sensors along Georgia’s coast. He says the sensors would collect data on rising sea levels and…
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4,000-YEAR-OLD OYSTER SHELLS REVEAL HOW CLIMATE CHANGE TRANSFORMED ANCIENT SOCIETIES

By Tara Yarlagadda   03/08/22  
On a barrier island off the coast of McIntosh County, Georgia, archaeologists have been scrutinizing mounds of leftover shells, bones, and other artifacts. These heaps of debris, known as shell rings, might contain clues of…
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Most Georgians prefer clean energy over coal – study

By Mining.com staff writer   03/02/22  
A recent survey carried out on behalf of researchers at Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia found that a majority of residents of the US state of Georgia strongly support new solar and wind…
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How The Pentagon and Partners Are Working Together to Combat Climate Change

By Joseph Gordon and Jack Greenberg   02/04/22  
For years, the U.S. Defense Department has been advancing on another front that is critical to—but not often associated with—national security: conservation. In fact, the Pentagon, which oversees millions of acres of land and water,…
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Georgia Power to go coal-free by 2028, double renewables by 2035, but advocates decry gas plans

By Iulia Gheorghiu   02/03/22  
Georgia Power plans to retire its coal capacity by 2028, according to the 3-year Integrated Resource Plan submitted to state regulators by the utility on Monday, but clean energy advocates raised questions about a dearth…
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In Georgia, Bloated Costs Take Over a Nuclear Power Plant and a Fight Looms Over Who Pays

By James Bruggers   01/21/22  
Ballooning cost overruns and construction delays at Georgia Power Co.’s Vogtle nuclear project threaten to cost the state’s electricity consumers billions of dollars in the decades to come, a new think tank report concludes.
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Georgia’s ‘Carpet Capital of the World’ now makes solar panels, too

By YCC Team   01/07/22  
Dalton, Georgia, is home to some of the world’s biggest carpet companies. “We are the floor-covering capital to the world, and we’re very proud of that,” says Carl Campbell of the local economic development authority.
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Combined Heat and Power as a Platform for Clean Energy Systems

11/17/21  
The state of Georgia could dramatically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, while creating new jobs and a healthier public, if more of its energy-intensive industries and commercial buildings were to utilize combined heat and power…
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Georgia farmers experiment with new crops as the climate changes

By YCC Team   11/05/21  
Summer is the time to enjoy fresh, delicious peaches from Georgia. But winter weather is key to a good harvest. Peach trees need a period of cold to bloom well and produce abundant fruit. The…
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Now on Hold, Georgia’s Progressive Program for Rooftop Solar Comes With a Catch

By James Bruggers   09/10/21  
The math worked for adding solar panels to the roof of Temple Beth Tefilloh, a 135-year-old Jewish congregation that occupies a Moorish Revival-style building in historic Brunswick, Georgia.
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Environmental group, elected officials push for clean transit

By Ariel Schiller   09/08/21  
Electric school buses might sound like something futuristic, but Blue Bird has been making them since 1994.
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Climate change safety: What the crisis means for your state

By Jamie Greenberger   09/05/21  
Six years, 141 days, and just under 18 hours. At the time of publication, this is how long we had to achieve zero emissions to keep our planet habitable for future generations. By the time…
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Drawdown Georgia and Solar Power in the State

By Alexia Ridley   09/01/21  
Reducing carbon emissions is a task facing scientists, environmentalists and others around the globe. Experts in Georgia one of the biggest sources of renewable energy available for the Peach State is Solar energy. Unfortunately, only…
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Corps ruling secures metro Atlanta’s water from Allatoona for decades

By Tammar Hallerman   09/01/21  
For the third time in less than five months, metro Atlanta received assurance from federal authorities that a significant portion of its water supply needs will be secure in the decades to come.
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Red Cross encourages planning during National Preparedness Month

08/28/21  
Families across the country are feeling the impact of climate change as we see more intense storms, heavier rain, higher temperatures, severe droughts, and record-setting hurricanes and wildfires. The American Red Cross of Georgia urges…
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What The U.N.’s ‘Code Red’ On Climate Means For Georgia

By Leah Flemming and Tiffany Griffith   08/26/21  
The past five years have been the hottest on record since 1850. That's just one of the findings in a new report by the United Nations. The authors of the report say the world must…
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Solar Power Booms in Georgia, Where It Isn’t Mandated

By Elena Shao   08/22/21  
Georgia has no mandates requiring power companies to add renewable energy and hasn’t made climate change a political priority. Solar power is booming there anyway.
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Climate Conference highlights statewide projects, risks to vulnerable communities

By Lauren McDonald   08/14/21  
“What will we say 50 years from now about what we did in 2021?” Johnson asked the audience of the Georgia Climate Conference, which concluded Friday on Jekyll. “What will they say about our efforts?…
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Another ‘Water Wars’ Case Goes Georgia’s Way

By Molly Samuel   08/12/21  
There’s more good news for Georgia in the decades-long legal battles between the state and its neighbors over water: A judge has sided against Alabama in a case concerning metro Atlanta municipalities’ use of water…
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A Special Edition of ‘Closer Look’: Georgia And Climate Change

Rose Scott and Daniel Rayzel   08/12/21  
A report released Monday by the United Nations says global climate change research is clear: human-caused emissions are accelerating global warming.
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Report Finds 100% Renewable Energy Feasible In Georgia

By Emily Jones   06/17/21  
A new report finds that if Georgia Power wants to meet the Biden administration’s clean energy goals, the utility needs to act quickly.
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Sen. Warnock: Biden’s infrastructure plan can help repair America’s divisions

By Brian Roewe   05/05/21  
When a family dispute just seems like it can't be solved, sometimes the best solution is to work on a home project together: painting the garage, upgrading the bathroom or kitchen, or finishing the basement.…
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Georgia Awarded RCPP Projects to Help Mitigate Climate Change and Protect Natural Resources

04/27/21  
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the investment into two projects in Georgia designed to help mitigate climate change and protect natural resources. In all, USDA is inve
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