From greenspace protection to waste reduction, Athens, Georgia has a reputation as one of the South’s most sustainable cities – but the Classic City’s commitment to climate even goes beyond recycling and composting. 

In 2022, Athens-Clarke County (ACC) adopted its Clean and Renewable Energy Plan to guide the city towards meeting community electricity demand with 100% clean energy by 2050 – and all municipal and government properties by 2035. The plan is a culmination of years of work by community leaders and government officials alike, incorporating creative funding ideas and ongoing community input to ensure that every Athens resident can obtain good-paying jobs, receive better healthcare, and pay less for electricity bills in a city with a history of high energy burden.

From establishing a Community Energy Fund in March 2020, to the ACC Commission allocating $750,000 to clean energy projects in September 2025, Athens has shown commitment to its plan so far. 

ACC Library Goes Solar – and Charges Your Car

In April 2025, the ACC Library took an exciting step with the installation of new solar panel canopies in its parking lot. The array powers 20% of the library’s annual energy needs, the same as powering 27 homes for an entire year. 

The ACC Sustainability Department estimates the solar panels will offset closer to 23% in sunnier months, and about 18% in less sunny months, says Joey Crews, the department’s Energy Program & Conservation Coordinator. By summer 2026, he says, they should have specific data to share with the community, which has been very involved in the process.

The ACC Library is an important part of the Athens Regional Library System, which supports over 240,000 residents across five counties. Powering even a single library with the sun – and thus reducing its dependence on unreliable fossil fuels and utility rate hikes – saves the library system money, so they can put more towards supporting the community.

Incorporating solar power into the success of a community has proved exciting and empowering for residents like Bruce Menke, a Clean Energy Generation member and Athens resident. “There are ample reasons to be excited and optimistic about the reduction in the use of fossil fuels in our community and ongoing programs to transition to safe, sustainable sources of energy,” Bruce says, adding that exciting and publicly-shared local initiatives “focus a bright spotlight on Athens’ efforts to move into the new era of non-emitting power sources.” 

Laura Iyer, Founding Director of the Southern Sustainability Institute and Athens resident, agrees that clean energy has become one of the most unifying and hopeful efforts in her community, especially when viewed through an equity lens. “That combination of economic relief, environmental benefit, and community resilience is powerful. It can move us closer to a more equitable Athens,” she says.

Reading and Recharging

Since the library solar canopy was unveiled in April, ACC has installed two of its first DC fast chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) at the library, powered by the solar panel canopy. This is becoming more common at locations like libraries across the country, as patrons can spend the 20 minutes needed to fast-charge their EVs perusing books. 

The chargers have been online since the end of June, and so far, they have provided the community with about 28,500 kWh of EV charge. That’s equal to nearly 3,600 gallons of gas not being used, or 22,600 kg of toxic greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane being diverted from the air we breathe. 

Bruce, an EV driver, says that EVs were once a limited presence on local Athens roads and highways, but happily now finds them “very much in evidence” on local roads, a daily reminder of the transition taking place. 

Making the Connection to a History of Energy Burden

Athens is no stranger to energy burden, the amount of income spent each month on energy compared to total monthly income. 

Georgians have seen electricity prices explode by 40% in the last few years and now pay some of the highest electricity bills in the country, which translates to severe stress on families simply trying to get by, from cooking dinner to doing laundry. In Athens, the number of energy-burdened households has long exceeded national and state averages. 

ACC’s Clean and Renewable Energy Plan aims to prepare the community to face rising electricity demand together, through listening sessions, surveys, town halls, multidisciplinary workshops, and more. Even the solar panel canopy at the ACC Library has a role to play.

“Seeing that the Library and the County in general provide resources to County residents,” Joey says, “The avoided energy costs with this project and all of our solar projects aim to reduce the overhead costs of running these facilities. These energy savings can lead to the continuation of programs and resources.” 

Add to that a growing number of local groups working to support energy efficiency and solar access for overburdened households, says Laura, and like an electricity grid, it seems everything is connected. 

Navigating Policy Setbacks

The ACC Library solar installation was made possible by a community solar grant and funding from Georgia SPLOST, keeping it relatively unaffected by the current federal administration’s attack on climate science and funding. Success through local and state support is encouraging in the wake of these attacks that are making progress feel impossible for communities across the Southeast. 

Laura concurs that even with complications at the federal level, Athens continues to move ahead. “We now have solar panels on our libraries, at water treatment facilities, and on schools,” she says. “We have electric buses on the road, more EV chargers coming online… All of this has built a sense that we are capable of shaping our own energy future.”

Athens residents Bruce and his wife Karen are encouraged by the strength and resilience of communities like theirs. Bruce says that as the current federal administration is “incredibly, actively engaged in dismantling efforts at the federal level to transition to renewable energy and is even attempting to increase the use of carbon-emitting fossil fuels, this makes the strong local support of climate action in our community more important than ever.” 

Bruce adds that the dramatic decrease in the cost of solar and wind energy, combined with the record-high utility rates in Georgia, has made simple economics a big factor in the transition to renewable energy in Athens – something that policymakers can’t, and shouldn’t, ignore. 

What Comes Next?

What does the future hold? Joey shares that there are many exciting clean energy projects to come for Athens residents. 

• The Sustainability Department will soon explore storage options for the ACC Library solar array. Solar panels have to be paired with some form of energy storage, typically batteries, to operate when the grid is down. Once paired with a battery, the library panels will be able to provide storm resilience by staying online during power outages in Athens.
• In the coming months, ACC plans to put $600,000 towards energy resiliency through the Community Energy Fund. The Sustainability Department will work with ACC’s Emergency Management Agency to identify the highest-priority locations to focus on resilient energy solutions.
• Athens’ 32-acre Dudley Park will welcome a rooftop solar array on its bathroom, making it a net-zero facility. 
• Fire Stations 8 and 9 will receive double-axis tracking solar arrays, making them net-zero facilities in terms of energy, though they will still have gas usage that can be electrified/offset in the near future. 

While the municipal projects and steady work from the county’s sustainability team have been inspiring and worth a pause for celebration, Laura insists we cannot stop there. “The long-term success of this transition will depend on how well we engage and support the full community, including those who have historically been left out of clean energy conversations,” she says. “What has impressed me most is how many people want to be part of the solution.”

The ACC library solar project has boosted local pride, made the clean energy transition feel less abstract, and given Athens residents like Bruce hope that they can make the city’s Clean and Renewable Energy Plan a reality.  

“These efforts build trust,” Laura says. “They show progress is happening even when policy setbacks occur elsewhere.”

View more of SACE’s coverage of Athens’ clean energy transition here.

Join the Clean Energy Generation

Across the Southeast, people and communities of all kinds are choosing action over despair as we build momentum toward a safer, better future with reliable, renewable energy – starting now. Our shared purpose is harder to ignore the more we take action, share solutions with each other, and celebrate our successes in the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy – all to protect the people and places we love. We all can play a role in the Clean Energy Generation, so if you haven’t already, please join us!

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