Community Solar Programs in Georgia

Community solar programs give Georgia residents and businesses access to solar-generated electricity without installing panels on their own property. This page explains how these programs are structured, which entities operate them in Georgia, the regulatory framework governing them, and the boundaries between different program types. Understanding these distinctions matters because program rules, subscription terms, and bill-credit mechanisms vary significantly across utilities and co-operatives serving Georgia's electricity customers.

Definition and scope

A community solar program — also called a shared solar or solar garden program — is a utility-administered arrangement in which a centralized solar array generates electricity and subscribing customers receive bill credits proportional to their share of that array's output. Subscribers do not own physical panels; they hold a contractual interest in a defined capacity allocation, typically measured in kilowatts (kW) or in a percentage of the array's output.

In Georgia, community solar is offered primarily through two categories of electricity providers: investor-owned utilities regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission (GPSC) and electric membership corporations (EMCs) operating under O.C.G.A. Title 46. Georgia Power, the state's dominant investor-owned utility serving approximately 2.7 million customers (Georgia Power 2022 Annual Report), offers the Georgia Power Solar Buyback Program and associated shared solar arrangements reviewed and approved by the GPSC. EMCs — of which Georgia has 41 operating across rural and suburban service territories — set their own community solar policies under the oversight of their member boards and the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation framework, detailed further at Georgia Electric Membership Corporation Solar Policies.

Scope and coverage limitations: This page addresses community solar programs operating within Georgia state boundaries under GPSC jurisdiction or EMC governance. It does not address federal programs administered by the U.S. Department of Energy, Tennessee Valley Authority service areas outside Georgia's primary utility territory, or municipal utility programs governed by individual city charters. Situations involving multi-state project financing or federal Rural Utilities Service (RUS) loans fall outside this page's scope.

How it works

Community solar programs follow a structured subscription and credit-allocation model. The process involves five discrete phases:

1. Array development and approval — A utility or third-party developer constructs a solar generation facility. For Georgia Power projects, the GPSC must approve rate schedules and program terms before enrollment opens, under O.C.G.A. § 46-2-26, which governs public utility rate filings. The GPSC approval docket is publicly accessible at psc.ga.gov.
2. Capacity allocation — The total array capacity is divided into subscriber blocks. Georgia Power's Green Energy Program, for example, offers residential customers blocks priced per 100 kilowatt-hour (kWh) unit of renewable energy per billing period, subject to GPSC-approved tariff schedules.
3. Subscription enrollment — Eligible customers apply for a share. Eligibility typically requires an active service account within the utility's territory. Waitlists form when capacity is oversubscribed.
4. Generation and billing — The array produces electricity fed into the grid. Each subscriber receives a bill credit calculated by multiplying the facility's output by the subscriber's allocated share, then applying the applicable credit rate. This is distinct from net metering, where a customer's own on-site system offsets consumption directly.
5. Credit application — The credit appears as a line item on the subscriber's monthly utility bill, reducing the amount owed. If the credit exceeds the monthly bill, treatment of the surplus varies by program: some programs carry credits forward, while others expire them at the billing cycle.

The regulatory context for Georgia solar energy systems page provides a broader overview of the GPSC's role in setting the rules that govern all grid-connected solar arrangements in the state.

Common scenarios

Scenario 1 — Renter or condo owner: A residential renter cannot install rooftop panels under a standard lease. A community solar subscription requires no structural modification to the property and no landlord approval, making it the primary solar access mechanism for this population. The subscription transfers or cancels when the subscriber moves, subject to contract terms.

Scenario 2 — Commercial subscriber with constrained roof: A small commercial building with a load-bearing roof unsuitable for panel installation — a factor assessed during roof assessment for solar installation in Georgia — can subscribe to a community array sized to offset a portion of its demand without capital expenditure on equipment.

Scenario 3 — Agricultural subscriber: A farm operation already using agricultural solar energy systems in Georgia for on-site generation may supplement coverage of outbuildings or secondary meters through a community solar subscription rather than expanding on-site infrastructure.

Scenario 4 — EMC member in rural territory: A customer served by one of Georgia's 41 EMCs — such as Sawnee EMC or Diverse Power — accesses community solar through that co-op's specific program, which may differ materially in pricing structure, capacity cap, and credit rate from Georgia Power's GPSC-regulated offering.

Decision boundaries

The primary structural distinction in Georgia community solar is utility-regulated programs vs. EMC member programs:

A secondary boundary separates community solar from direct ownership. Direct ownership — whether rooftop or ground-mounted solar systems in Georgia — transfers asset ownership, enables depreciation for commercial entities, and qualifies for the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under Internal Revenue Code § 48. Community solar subscriptions are service contracts; subscribers do not hold a depreciable asset and do not directly claim the ITC. The federal solar tax credit application for Georgia residents page addresses ITC eligibility in detail.

Community solar also differs from solar leasing vs. purchasing in Georgia and power purchase agreements in Georgia: both of the latter involve on-site equipment at the subscriber's property, whereas community solar involves a remote facility with no on-site installation, no interconnection permit required at the subscriber's address, and no local building inspection for the subscriber.

For subscribers evaluating whether community solar or on-site generation better fits their situation, the how Georgia solar energy systems work conceptual overview provides the foundational framework for comparing generation mechanisms. The broader landscape of solar options in Georgia — including storage, off-grid configurations, and financing structures — is mapped at the Georgia Solar Authority index.

Permitting obligations under community solar fall entirely on the project developer and host utility, governed by the Georgia Building Code, National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 690, and GPSC interconnection standards. Individual subscribers have no permitting obligations and face no inspection requirements at their own premises. Safety standards for the array itself — including grounding, arc-fault protection, and inverter certification requirements — apply at the facility level under NEC Article 690 and UL 1703/UL 61730 panel certification standards, not at the subscriber account level.

References

• Georgia Public Service Commission (psc.ga.gov)
• Georgia General Assembly — O.C.G.A. Title 46 (Public Utilities and Public Transportation)
• Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (georgiaemc.com)
• Georgia Power — Rates and Programs (georgiapower.com)
• U.S. Department of Energy — Community Solar (energy.gov)
• National Electrical Code Article 690 — Solar Photovoltaic Systems (NFPA 70)
• Internal Revenue Code § 48 — Investment Tax Credit (IRS)
• U.S. Department of Energy — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Solar Energy Technologies Office