Georgia Power Plan Would Install Solar Arrays on 3 Army Bases

Georgia Power and the Army jointly released plans to install large solar arrays at three military bases yesterday in what officials say could be a model for other states.

The three solar arrays are scheduled to start producing power in 2015 and will lead to the Army getting 18 percent of its electricity in Georgia from renewable fuels that are on-site.

The 90 total megawatts of solar electricity also will move the Army 9 percent closer to meeting federal goals for renewable energy.  Georgia and the Southeast have lagged in renewable energy until recently.  The state ranks in the top 10 of solar installations last year and is poised to be in the top five by the end of 2014, solar industry experts say.

This is largely because of Georgia Power's program that will place more than 800 MW of solar under contract by 2016.

One component has been missing, and that's adding renewable energy at military bases in any major way.

Georgia Power Plan Would Install Solar Arrays on 3 Army Bases