GEFA Grants
GEFA received more than 125 applications, which made the selection process very competitive. The following is a list of the 16 grant recipients, including a brief project description.
Renewable Energy Grant ProgramBFI Waste Systems of North America, LLC – Awarded $2,000,000 to construct a Solar Energy Cover (SEC) at the Hickory Ridge Landfill, located near the junction of I-675 and I-285 in DeKalb County. The SEC is a large scale, one megawatt solar power system.
Electric Cities of Georgia – Awarded $460,933 to build a series of solar energy production units at various municipal facilities throughout Georgia and one wind energy system in Calhoun, Georgia. The program will install five kilowatt photovoltaic units, solar thermal water heating systems, and a four kilowatt wind energy system.
Hannah Solar, LLC – Awarded $250,000 to install 59 kilowatts of solar power, a 1.2 kilowatt wind turbine, and a solar thermal collector for domestic hot water at the Clark’s Grove Earthcraft community in Covington, Georgia.
Lanier Technical College – Awarded $503,000 to install four different types of solar photovoltaic systems and one solar hot water system at each of four separate Lanier Technical College campuses for a total of 22 separate solar installations.
Radiance Energies – Awarded $786,067 to install solar photovoltaic systems for seven non-profits across the state. The systems cover a vast geographic reach and will serve to benefit local communities and to educate thousands of people annually about the benefits of renewable energy.
Commercial Energy Efficiency Grant Program
Appalachian Community Enterprises Inc. – Awarded $700,000 to provide small businesses in North Georgia, including metro Atlanta, with education, technical assistance and funding for energy efficiency strategies.
Georgia Interfaith Power and Light – Awarded $400,000 to educate a statewide network of faith communities on energy efficient practices, including energy efficient goods and services, and to conduct energy efficiency retrofits of facilities.
Illumitron International Inc. – Awarded $450,000 to help transform the commercial real estate market to focus on operational cost savings through energy efficient LED lighting, and to speed the deployment of LED lighting technologies.
Outlaw Consulting Inc. – Awarded $450,000 to conduct lighting retrofit projects at convenience stores throughout the state. The program includes the establishment of a revolving fund to finance projects chosen in an annual competitive process administered in partnership with the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores for at least three years.
Industrial Energy Efficiency Grant Program
Association of Energy Engineers – Awarded $400,000 to provide Certified Energy Manager training to members of Georgia’s industrial community over a two-year period.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – Awarded $900,000 to expand the Georgia Environmental Partnership (DNR Sustainability Division, Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia) and to partner with Oglethorpe Power (OPC) and the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) to build energy assessment capacity within the state’s 38 Electric Membership Cooperatives (EMCs).
International Paper – Awarded $700,000 to install energy efficient manufacturing equipment at facilities in Augusta and Savannah to reduce energy usage and to help increase the company’s competitiveness.
Residential Energy Efficiency Grant Program
Electric Cities of Georgia – Awarded $500,000 to assist member utilities with the development and operation of residential energy efficiency programs to reduce residential customer energy usage and to promote energy efficiency in the residential market throughout the state.
Estes Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. – Awarded $500,000 to provide energy efficiency improvements to residential homes with a focus on low-to-middle income, elderly and disabled homeowners.
Oglethorpe Power Corporation – Awarded $500,000 to create and/or expand energy efficiency programs available to the residential sector served by each participating EMC.
Southface Energy Institute – Awarded $500,000 to conduct energy efficient design training sessions for builders, trade contractors, real estate agents and appraisers throughout the state.
