The Sixth District of the African Methodist Church (AME) has announced a new plan to establish microgrids in churches across Georgia, with the goal of installing five systems by 2026.

The initiative in the sixth district covers all AME churches in Georgia (482 churches), which can ultimately deploy microgrids to enhance community resilience and energy independence, marking an important step for AME churches in their ongoing commitment to environmental management.

Since 2023, the sixth district has been developing this innovative project, which includes installing solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, battery energy storage systems, and implementing energy-saving measures. The project also introduces bidirectional charging technology, enabling church facilities to serve as energy hubs and emergency centers for the community, where community members can charge medical equipment, store medication, and seek shelter in emergency situations.

It is expected that the typical solar energy system of each church will generate an average of 70 megawatt hours of electricity per year, and each system is expected to offset approximately 93.5% of the church's annual energy consumption, recovering costs in just eight years. The 482 churches in the sixth district have a total annual power generation of approximately 34 gigawatt hours, which is sufficient to power over 3000 households.

The project is based on the Climate Change Resolution of the African Methodist Church (AME), which commits the denomination to climate action and supports policies for creating healthy communities and a clean energy future. The resolution was passed at the 50th General Assembly in Philadelphia, outlining the biblical basis for addressing climate change and encouraging the church to take practical measures to achieve sustainable development.

Georgia is particularly vulnerable to power outages caused by extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which caused power outages for over 1.3 million residents across the state. Some members of the African Methodist Church have experienced power outages for over three weeks. Georgia residents' electricity bills are also higher than the national average, and it is expected that electricity bills will continue to rise.

So far, with the help of the faith based environmental non-profit organization Georgia Interfaith Power and Lighting Company (GIPL), the Sixth District has completed feasibility studies for 13 churches and plans to complete a total of 70 studies by the end of the year. This ambitious goal demonstrates the Church's determination to quickly and effectively address climate change.

To support the implementation of this ambitious clean energy vision, AME Church's Sixth District will collaborate with Capital Good Fund. Capital Good Fund is a non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) and a federal beneficiary of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Solar Energy for All" program. 'Solar Energy for All' is a nationwide initiative aimed at bringing the benefits of solar energy to low-income and vulnerable communities who previously had difficulty accessing solar energy.