The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says Georgia holds vast potential for solar, with most prime sites for deployment concentrated in the country’s east, based on a recent zoning assessment.
A significant portion of Georgia’s land area is well suited to solar deployment, with a maximum development potential of up to 87 GW, according to a new report from IRENA.
The “Investment opportunities for utility-scale solar and wind areas: Georgia zoning assessment” report uses zoning assessment methodology to identify favorable areas in Georgia for future renewables deployment.
The government of Georgia requested the assessment, with support from the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and Georgian State Electrosystem, to help inform national infrastructure planning.
Most of the potential sites identified for renewables are located in the central, southern, southwestern and southeastern parts of Georgia and are alongside transmission and road networks. The eastern part of the country was found to be particularly favorable for solar.
The report identifies and maps these zones, detailing the techno-economic attributes of each area, including installed capacities, potential hourly and annual energy generation, localized cost of electricity (LCOE), and distances from existing transmission line networks.
Image: IRENA
The 87 GW estimate accounts for a land-use footprint of 50 MW/km², a maximum solar concentration of 5 GW per zone, and a land utilization factor between 20% and 30%.
IRENA said its findings are intended to prompt in-depth investigation that establishes specific sites for more detailed evaluation using high temporal and spatial resolution resource data.
It acknowledged there are several limitations to the project, with the study not factoring in permit connection requirements, land ownership, or protected land status, so the maximum deployment figure should be treated with caution.
However, IRENA said the findings suggest that Georgia could raise its renewable energy targets. The country currently aims to reach 5.289 GW of renewables by 2030, according to the 2024 Global Energy Monitor.
Georgia had deployed 133 MW solar by the end of 2024, according to statistics from IRENA, up from 64 MW at the end of 2023.
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