The passage of the budget bill signed into law on July Fourth has raised many questions about the future of the EPA’s Solar for All programs, including Georgia BRIGHT. We asked Georgia BRIGHT Director Alicia Brown to explain its impact on our programming.
What is the status of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) under the new law?
The new law repeals the GGRF, including its statutory creation, and rescinds all unobligated balances from its subprograms, including Solar for All, which was a $7 billion allocation.
What does “unobligated” mean in this context?
Obligation occurs when a federal award is legally committed, not merely selected. Data from court filings and the EPA suggest that most major awards under GGRF, including Solar For All grants, have already been obligated, with only minimal remaining balances still unobligated
How has the new law impacted Georgia BRIGHT’s Solar For All programming?
The keyword to remember is obligated. Georgia’s Solar For All funds have been obligated, so we do not expect them to be affected by the GGRF repeal. Since the bill’s passage, Capital Good Fund has been able to request and receive reimbursement from the grant for approved Georgia BRIGHT program activities as usual.
There were some other changes in the bill, specifically related to solar tax credits, that may affect the program more directly. Solar tax credits are now only available through 2027, instead of the entire grant performance period, and some new restrictions related to Foreign Entities of Concern have been introduced that will make it more complicated to access the tax credits until we receive further guidance from the Treasury. While these changes may reduce the total number of projects that can be completed, they have not impacted our ability to move forward or the benefits that participants will receive. We are committed to remaining nimble and adjusting as needed to continue to serve Georgia families.
What types of solar programs will be offered with Solar for All funding?
With Solar for All funding, we will offer four different solar programs designed to serve both owners and renters and a variety of housing types.
When will Georgia BRIGHT launch its first initiatives?
We are just weeks away from launching the first of several initiatives funded by the federal Solar for All program. Beginning August 4, qualifying Georgia homeowners earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for their county and household size can enter a drawing to receive a fully free solar installation through the Georgia BRIGHT No Cost Solar Plan. “Fully free” truly means no cost—no upfront cost, no monthly cost, and no maintenance costs for the life of the plan. As part of this first drawing, we will provide systems to approximately 400 qualifying Georgia households.. A second drawing for another 400 systems is planned for spring 2026.
What other Solar for All programs are on track to launch?
The next program to launch is a residential solar lease, the Residential Solar Savings Plan. Qualifying households will receive custom solar installations at no upfront cost, with low monthly payments that guarantee day-one savings of at least 20%, net of monthly payments. Like the No Cost Solar Plan, the lease option includes all maintenance, as well as the option for battery storage to ensure resilience against severe weather.
A few months later, in early 2026, we will launch a program called Community Benefit Solar. Community Benefit Solar will provide a pathway for commercial properties like businesses, houses of worship, and apartment buildings to go solar if they agree to share the savings generated with eligible families for five years.
Our final solar program is called Utility-Led Community Solar Plan. This program will provide grants to local utilities to offer shared solar programs to low-income households. Like all Solar for All programs, this program will guarantee savings of 20%, net of any payments, with credits appearing directly on the electric bill.
Will the changes to the tax credit impact Georgia BRIGHT pilot participants?
No, Our Georgia BRIGHT pilot participants will not be impacted as their systems are already installed or will be installed by the end of 2025 as the pilot closed in June of this year.
How will all the Georgia BRIGHT programs impact job creation and workforce training?
Georgia BRIGHT will create and support hundreds of good-paying jobs for Georgia residents and provide workforce training opportunities to help unemployed and underemployed individuals transition into the solar industry and electrical trades. Organizations that are interested in partnering with us on workforce training should fill out the interest form on the “Work With Us” web page to stay up to date on funding opportunities.
How do solar systems contribute to resilience during storms in Georgia?
Georgia is prone to storms that can disrupt power, which has worsened in recent years. When paired with battery storage, solar systems can make families more resilient against these outages by backing up critical loads like refrigerators, weather radios, and medical equipment.
