Georgia Southern University will receive more than $50,000 in state grant funding to develop a new mapping platform aimed at identifying vulnerabilities and opportunities within Georgia’s energy infrastructure.
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) announced that the Georgia Southern University Research and Service Foundation Inc. was awarded a $50,235 Georgia Energy Grant. The university is one of five organizations receiving a combined $566,000 for energy efficiency, resiliency, and workforce development projects across the state.
Georgia Southern’s grant will help fund development of a geospatial platform, pooling utility data, national resilience models, and predictive Geographic Information System (GIS) tools.
According to GEFA, they’re working on identifying areas deemed vulnerable to power outages while providing information that can be used to guide future energy infrastructure investments. It will also be used to identify potential opportunities for grid interconnection and renewable energy development.
The Georgia Southern project differs from several of the other grant recipients in that it focuses on data, mapping, and infrastructure planning rather than direct energy efficiency upgrades or workforce training.
The remaining $515,765 in funding was awarded to four organizations.
- Groundswell Inc. received $150,000 for energy-efficiency retrofit and upgrade projects in Troup, Heard and Harris counties. The project is expected to provide efficiency improvements to 15 homes while also certifying three local contractors.
- Harambee House received $67,300 for resiliency improvements involving the Hudson Hill Community Center. The project will expand the center’s ability to provide emergency preparedness resources and education and allow the facility to serve as a public shelter during power outages and extreme weather events.
- The Home Performance Coalition Inc. received $150,000 for a statewide workforce development initiative that will include an analysis of workforce gaps and scholarships for education and certifications needed for jobs in the energy sector.
- $150,000 was awarded to the Urban League of Greater Atlanta for energyefficiency workforce training and certification programs. The organization will also collect data for an assessment identifying workforce gaps and areas where additional investment in training programs may be needed in Metro Atlanta.
The grants are part of Georgia’s State Energy Program, which is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The program supports initiatives involving agriculture and industry, building energy efficiency, government and public facilities, renewable energy, and alternative fuels.
