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Should all tea be sweet? Do they grow peaches in Georgia? Are the Bulldogs good this year?
Yes, yes, and yes. And yes, solar panels are worth it in Georgia!
Whether it’s wandering the historic streets of Savannah, paddling past gators in the breathtaking Okefenokee swamp, taking in all that the A.T.L. has to offer or cooling off with a hike in the rolling North Georgia mountains, there’s always something great to do in Georgia. And nothing helps you enjoy Georgia more than knowing you are helping keep it beautiful while saving money with solar energy.
Everybody knows that Georgia is the Peach State, but it is also fast becoming the Solar State. In fact, did you know that the largest solar panel manufacturing facility in the Western hemisphere is located right at the foothills of those gorgeous North Georgia mountains? Qcells’ factory in Dalton, Georgia already employs over 750 Georgians, and just announced a big expansion.
So, Georgia makes lots of solar panels. But do they use them? Yes, in fact, Georgians love to power their homes with the sun. The state ranks seventh for investment in solar energy, with over 4,500 megawatts worth of solar panels installed. That’s enough electricity to power over half a million homes.
It is not surprising that so many Georgians have installed solar energy systems on their homes. There are a bunch of great reasons to go solar in Georgia. Let’s take a look at the top five.
Top 5 reasons to go solar in Georgia
1. The Federal Tax Credit can save you money in Georgia
Everybody has been talking about the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s a landmark piece of legislation that makes going solar much more affordable for most homeowners. For qualifying buyers, this federal program is good for a federal tax credit worth 30% of the cost of your solar system. And the credit doesn’t just apply to solar panels—it’s also good for stuff like batteries and the cost of installation. That’s a huge deal!
2. Electricity rates are set to rise in Georgia
We’ve all seen the cost of energy going up lately. Whether it’s putting gas in your tank or running the HVAC during those sweltering Georgia days, it’s all taking a toll on your wallet. And if you’re a Georgian, you’ve already been paying more than you used to. The Solar Energy Industries Association has documented how Georgia’s largest electricity supplier, Georgia Power, has overcharged its customers by a whopping $1.8 billion.
That’s frustrating, but it is only going to get worse. Georgia Power is set to roll out a 12% rate hike starting this year, with more to come soon. The average Georgia homeowner can expect to pay an additional $200 a year once all those proposed rate hikes are in place. By installing a solar energy system in your home, you can hedge against the incoming rate hikes most Georgians will be seeing in the coming months and years.
3. Solar panels can help protect homes from power outages
Everyone in Georgia knows those summer storms. Hot sticky afternoons end with thunder and lightning rolling through the sky and a sudden heavy downpour. Sometimes they bring relief from the heat and sometimes they bring power outages. Once you’ve lived in Georgia for a while, you just get used to the power going down occasionally.
But natural disasters are a big deal in Georgia. According to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Georgia regularly deals with tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, big freezes, and spring floods. And if you think those disasters have been coming more and more often, you’re right. Climate disasters are a bigger problem every day. A solar system with a battery backup can help you keep the lights on during those brief inconvenient afternoon outages or even manage a significant natural disaster. By storing the energy you generate with your rooftop solar panels during the day and releasing it after the sun goes down, a backup battery is a kind of insurance policy for your power.
4. Abundance of sunshine
There’s a reason Atlanta is one of the top 20 places to live for weather. Like the rest of Georgia, it gets lots of sun—217 days of it per year, to be precise. That makes for great weather to get out and hike, play a round of golf, or cycle to Alabama on the Silver Comet trail. But it also means that a rooftop solar system can generate a lot of electricity.
Solar panels can generate power on cloudy days, but they are at their best and most efficient on clear, sunny days. Georgia gets lots of them, and that means your panels will get you a lot of power.
5. Good for the environment
Traditional electricity generation in Georgia produces lots of greenhouse gases, whether the power is produced by natural gas or coal. But maybe even worse for Georgia is the coal ash pools that come from burning coal for power. Georgia Power still runs three coal fired generators, and means our huge pools of toxic coal ash are just getting bigger. You may not see them, but you can find them throughout the state. They are poisonous and they affect our groundwater. Even as burning fossil fuels causes climate change, Georgia’s beautiful landscape is being poisoned by what’s left over from that coal.
But powering your home through clean solar energy means that you are doing your part to stop that process while keeping Georgia safe for generations to come. The more clean solar energy the Peach State produces, the quicker we can stop burning coal and make Georgia even more beautiful.
Are solar panels worth it in Georgia?
More and more people in Georgia say “yes!,” solar panels are worth it in Georgia. With great incentives, lots of sunshine and out of control electricity rates, generating your own power makes lots of sense.
A Solar Energy Specialist can sit down with you and go over the fine details of your individual situation, to help you answer that question definitively. All you need to do is contact us to schedule a free consultation.
*If you have taxable income and own the system, you may qualify for the solar federal investment tax credit. It is your responsibility to determine your eligibility and to apply. Consult a qualified tax professional for assistance and details.
