The Southeast is one of the best regions in the country for the development of solar power due to its abundant sunshine, available acreage, and closeness to major cities and other power users. The Athens Banner-Herald posted a column today describing the state’s growing stature as a national leader in solar energy. You can read the article here. The column describes some of the initiatives that Georgia Power is taking to develop large solar farms, particularly in southern Georgia where land is cheaper and more widely available.
The University of Georgia is one of the partners with Georgia Power in a proposed solar farm to be built on the main campus in Athens if it is approved by the Board of Regents. The Atlanta Business Journal reported yesterday that the farm would have the capacity to provide power to about 125 homes. The article can be found here.
Smaller solar installations can also be used on farms to provide power to irrigation pumps and other remote locations where running a power line is not cost-effective. You can read an article from UGA from April 2014 which describes some of the work that is being done by Gary Hawkins and others here.
