New Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Lithonia, Georgia, has completed the installation of a solar energy system, battery storage, and electric vehicle (EV) chargers on its campus. The congregation is now among the first faith-based organizations in Georgia to deploy both solar and storage simultaneously.
The project also marks a significant milestone in the Georgia BRIGHT initiative: New Bethel is the first commercial pilot participant to pursue battery storage through the program in partnership with Capital Good Fund, a nonprofit lender focused on financial inclusion and climate resilience.
The primary motivation behind the project is community resilience. By combining solar generation with battery backup, the church can continue to operate as a safe haven and power source for the surrounding neighborhood during grid outages or natural disasters — a concept increasingly adopted by community institutions across the United States.
The addition of EV chargers further extends the site's utility, offering accessible green charging infrastructure to congregation members and the wider public. This project serves as a compelling model for how houses of worship and other community buildings can become active participants in the clean energy transition.
Source: Georgia church adds solar, storage and EV chargers to campus to act as community’s resilience hub - Solar Power World· Based on source, with AI-assisted rewriting.
Related articles

Heat Pump, Solar & H Tariff: How to Plan Together
Combining a heat pump, rooftop solar panels and a preferential electricity tariff can significantly cut household energy bills — but only if you plan all three as one integrated system. This guide walks through the decision logic, common mistakes and key considerations for homeowners.

Solar PV in the Arctic: Svalbard's surprising potential
Researchers at Norway's SINTEF have found that solar PV in Longyearbyen, one of the world's northernmost inhabited settlements, can achieve capacity factors comparable to central European cities during summer. The study shows that PV, combined with wind and storage, could play a pivotal role in the Arctic energy transition.

Solar + Heat Pump: When Do They Really Cut Your Bill?
Combining rooftop solar with an air-source heat pump seems like a perfect match, but real savings depend on how well their operating hours overlap. This guide explains the key decision factors for homeowners considering both systems.

Why broadband communication is the backbone of grid modernization
The Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA) has welcomed Eversource Energy and Hawaiian Electric as new members, underlining a growing consensus: without robust communication infrastructure, modern grids cannot reliably integrate solar, storage and other distributed energy resources.
Comments
0 commentsBe the first to comment.
