This new law will help to greatly expand the use of clean, reliable and affordable solar energy across Georgia.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has signed into law consensus legislation which will make it easier and more affordable for homeowners, businesses, churches, schools, nonprofits, military facilities, and police and fire departments to install rooftop solar systems across the state. The Solar Power Free Market Financing Act is considered an important victory for property rights supporters, as well as solar advocates - and represents a bellwether of change in Georgia.

"Kudos to Gov. Deal for recognizing the importance of solar energy to Georgias economy and to its future prosperity," said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). "This forward-looking new law will help to greatly expand the use of clean, reliable and affordable solar energy across Georgia, and we applaud state legislators - especially the bills author, Rep. Mike Dudgeon - Georgias electric utilities, the Georgia Property Rights Council, the Georgia Solar Energy Association and many other groups for working together to benefit all Georgians. This landmark legislation will help to create new jobs across the state and stimulate economic activity, while helping to lower costs for consumers and businesses. It will also help to ensure that Georgia continues to be one of the fastest-growing solar markets in the United States."

Today, there are 161 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity in Georgia - enough to power nearly 20,000 homes. But Resch said new solar installations are expected to quadruple next year in Georgia, according to the U.S. Solar Market Insight® Year in Review report, which was recently released by SEIA and GTM Research. The U.S. solar industry currently employs 174,000 Americans nationwide - more than tech giants Apple, Google, Facebook and Twitter combined - and pumps nearly $18 billion a year into the U.S. economy.