Press Release - Survey

For Immediate Release

Fast-Growing Solar Industry Needs More Juice from
Georgia Officials, Survey Says

Georgia Solar Energy Association Suggests Higher Profile and Education

Will Foster Green Jobs and Revenue

(ATLANTA – June 10, 2009) Georgia’s lawmakers and executive leaders must become more active and vocal to foster the development of the solar power industry in the state, according to leading solar energy firms in a recent survey conducted by the Georgia Solar Energy Association (GSEA).

The key to creating more jobs as well as attracting and growing the solar power industry is to have state government assume a more prominent leadership role so businesses and consumers understand the industry’s economic potential and are able to take advantage of more clean energy choices. More than 80 percent of respondents believe that more government leadership at the state level is needed and 60 percent of respondents believe that better tax incentives are needed.

“Nearly 8.5 million people worldwide will be working in the renewable energy sector by 2030, the question is what will our leaders do to ensure Georgia is the home for our share of those jobs,” said Walter Brown, GSEA’s chairman and senior vice president of development and environmental affairs for Green Street Properties in Atlanta.

GSEA members believe that Georgia is lagging behind other states in the area of solar jobs and development and cited North Carolina as one of the leading states that Georgia is forfeiting jobs and revenue to instead of investing locally.

Respondents also noted that consumers and businesses mistakenly perceive that solar is too expensive or have been led to believe Georgia is not sunny enough for solar. But with new tax incentives in place and the steady reductions in cost that can result from mass production and ongoing research and development, it is becoming comparable with traditional energy costs, especially when long term benefits are weighed. Grid parity on solar costs is widely expected by 2016 according to Brown.

Solar Survey by the Numbers

· 80% believe that more state government leadership is needed

· 60% believe that better tax incentives are needed

· 76% don’t consider Georgia to be currently positioned as a leading provider of solar energy

· Almost 70% believe that Georgia lags behind other state with respect to solar power

· 44% think that the most misunderstood aspect of solar power is that it’s too expensive

· More than 50% think that for solar to become commonplace, the level of energy derived from the sun by the year 2020 should be at least 5%.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Candace McCaffery
Cookerly Public Relations
404.816.2037
candace@cookerly.com