Georgia Magazine - May 2017 - 20

BY TRACY WARREN, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, NRECA

Georgia's EMC solar programs first in nation among co-ops

B

y the end of this year, the total solar energy capacity of
America's electric cooperatives will be five times what
it was two years ago, according to recent data from the
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
This year, co-ops across the nation are on pace to add
480 megawatts (MW) of solar, which would bring their
total capacity to 872 MW. This more than quadruples the
180 MW capacity co-ops reached in 2015 and represents
a twentyfold increase over the 37 MW capacity in 2010.
Over the last two years, states with cooperatives using solar power grew from 34 to 44 states. Among states
where co-ops have been actively developing solar, Georgia ranks first with a total of 240 MW, followed by New
Mexico, Hawaii, Colorado, Arizona, Maryland and North
Carolina.
In Georgia, more than 30 of the state's 41 electric
membership cooperatives (EMCs) are participating in
solar projects. These projects range from installations as
small as 2 kilowatts (kW) to projects as large as 143 MW,
with solar panels covering more than 1,500 acres.
"Electric cooperatives continue to aggressively pursue
solar as an energy source and are the leaders in community solar," says NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. "Co-ops
across the nation are laboratories of innovation and are
responsive to member needs as they work to power millions of American families and businesses."
In Georgia, Green Power EMC in Tucker began the
state's first renewable power program in 2001. Jeff Pratt,
president of Green Power EMC, says the cooperative offers member EMCs a growing portfolio of solar capacity,
which includes utility- and community-scale solar. Utilityscale projects are generally quite large and may serve several EMCs. Community-scale projects are small, typically
serving members of a single EMC.
Of Georgia's EMCs, 15 have established a Cooperative
Solar program, which simulates rooftop solar systems by
giving customers access to power generated by off-site
solar facilities. In addition to receiving clean, renewable
solar energy at an affordable price, homeowners and renters can subscribe to energy shares from their EMC at a
nominal rate.

Growth in cooperative solar capacity
since 2010
Solar Capacity (MW)
900

Combined MW total in 2017 = 872

800

480

700
600
500

378

400
300
200
100
0

70

37

48

2010

2011

Online

93

2012 2013

110
2014

392

180

2015

2016

2017

Planned

NOTE: Co-op solar capacity owned or purchased under contract
Source: NRECA Business & Technology Strategies

"Through the Cooperative Solar program, we now
have almost 4,000 members from 15 electric co-ops across
the state that receive renewable solar energy, and more
co-ops are set to launch the program soon," says Pratt.
Nationwide growth in cooperative solar capacity is
represented in the graph above.

Factors driving the growth in co-op solar

In a nationwide survey conducted by NRECA in
December 2016 and January 2017, co-ops were asked to
identify the factors driving their decision to offer or support solar programs, including community solar, utilityowned solar and rooftop installations. Sixty-eight percent
of respondents said they were motivated by a desire to
increase consumer satisfaction; 59 percent cited consumer
demand for solar offerings; and 43 percent pointed to the
decline in the cost of solar development.
Much of the growth in both deployed and planned
solar projects can be attributed to collaboration among
co-ops. The survey revealed that 42 percent of co-op solar
projects are joint efforts involving either the generation and transmission co-ops (also called power
EMCs in Georgia that sell solar power to their members
supply co-ops) or fellow distribution co-ops.
through the Cooperative Solar program:
"Cooperation among cooperatives is one of our
Central Georgia EMC, Jackson
Middle Georgia EMC, Vienna
core principles," Matheson says. "The fact that more
Coastal Electric Cooperative, Midway Okefenoke REMC, Nahunta
than 40 percent of co-op solar capacity comes from
Cobb EMC, Marietta
Satilla REMC, Alma
Diverse Power, LaGrange
Snapping Shoals EMC, Covington collaboration among co-ops demonstrates that this
principle is truly transformative. Just in the last year,
GreyStone Power, Douglasville
Sumter EMC, Americus
nine generation and transmission cooperatives anHabersham EMC, Clarkesville
Tri-County EMC, Gray
nounced they will be pursuing solar development
Irwin EMC, Ocilla
Walton EMC, Monroe
with their distribution co-op members. We fully exJefferson Energy Cooperative, Wrens
pect that number to increase this year."

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