Georgia Church Adds Solar, Storage and EV Chargers to Act as Resilience Hub

On April 21, 2026, Solar Power World (SPW) reported New Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church has become one of the first faith communities in Georgia to deploy both solar generation and battery storage on site. The project also marks the first commercial pilot participant pursuing battery storage through Georgia BRIGHT and Capital Good Fund.

The installation is part of a broader initiative led by the African Methodist Episcopal Church Sixth District in partnership with Georgia Interfaith Power & Light to transform churches into community resilience hubs. These sites integrate solar, battery storage, and EV charging to support critical services during emergencies. Congregations can provide backup power for response vehicles, refrigeration for medicines, and shelter during severe weather events, which are happening more frequently due to global human caused climate change.

“Historically, the AME Church has served as a beacon of hope and a safe haven for communities in times of crisis,” said Bishop Michael Leon Mitchell presiding prelate of the Sixth District AME Church in Georgia to SPW. “In becoming Resilience Hubs, our churches are honoring that legacy while preparing for the climate challenges of tomorrow. This is about keeping our sacred call to serve and care for our neighbors alive.”

“The AME church is showing Georgia what’s possible when faith communities embrace both practical resource stewardship and climate justice,” said Hannah Shultz, GIPL’s Program Director to SPW. “This installation goes beyond clean energy — it’s about building the infrastructure our communities need to weather the storms ahead, literally and figuratively.”

The pilot currently includes 12 congregations, with additional funding secured to expand deployment at several locations. Across the Sixth District’s 482 churches, the long-term potential is significant, with projected generation reaching roughly 34 gigawatt-hours annually, enough to power more than 3,000 households.

“This project represents our commitment to being good stewards of Creation and providing for our community in tangible ways,” said Pastor Will Thomas, Lead Pastor of New Bethel AME Church to SPW. “When the lights go out in the neighborhood, we want New Bethel to be a place where people know they can come for safety and support. That’s what our church is called to do.”

At New Bethel AME, the system was installed by Better Tomorrow Solar and includes a 70.11 kW solar array paired with 41 kWh of battery storage. The system is expected to meet about 80 percent of the church’s annual energy demand while reducing utility costs by more than $15,000 per year.

Funding support came from Hive Fund, Black Voters Matter, and Georgia BRIGHT, which structured a solar energy procurement agreement that required no upfront capital from the congregation. The Georgia BRIGHT model leverages federal tax credits, grants, and aggregated purchasing to make clean energy accessible to nonprofits and homeowners.

“Black Voters Matter is proud to support New Bethel AME Church as it leads the way in building stronger, more resilient communities,” said Melinee Calhoun, State Organizing Manager for Black Voters Matter Fund to SPW. “This project is about more than clean energy, it’s about ensuring that Black communities have the resources, infrastructure, and power to withstand crises and thrive in the face of climate challenges. By investing in solutions like solar and battery storage, we’re helping create a future where our communities are not only heard at the ballot box, but also equipped to shape and sustain their own well-being.”

“New Bethel AME Church is demonstrating extraordinary leadership as the first Georgia BRIGHT Communities participant to integrate battery storage with their solar system,” said Alicia Brown, Director of Georgia BRIGHT to SPW. “By embracing storage, they’re not only cutting costs and increasing resilience for their congregants and the surrounding community, but also showing how community organizations can play an important role in reducing costs and increasing resilience for the larger energy system.”

To extend the impact, Better Tomorrow Solar also installed two dual Level 2 EV chargers on site. These chargers enable community members to power electric vehicles using locally generated solar energy, reinforcing the church’s role as both an energy producer and a community resource.