| As the need for renewable energy sources is made increasingly clear, some utility companies are devising creative approaches in the field of green power production. For example, nearly 100 business and community leaders gathered recently in Rabun Gap to dedicate the state’s first woody waste facility. Plans for the project began in 2008 when Green Power EMC – a group of state electric cooperatives – and Multitrade Rabun Gap, LLC, signed an agreement in which EMCs agreed to purchase 17 megawatts of biomass energy to be generated at the site. With construction of the plant complete, the power will be available to consumers of cooperatives that are part of the Rabun Gap agreement – Carroll, Cobb, Coweta-Fayette, Irwin, Jackson, Middle Georgia, Oconee, Okefenoke,  Sawnee, Tri-County and Walton EMCs, as well as Diverse Power, Flint Energies, GreyStone Power and Southern Rivers. According to Coweta-Fayette CEO Anthony “Tony” Sinclair, this groundbreaking renewable resource project has been particularly innovative due to the use of an already-existing power plant in an idled Fruit of the Loom manufacturing facility. The facility, known as the Rabun Gap Plant, will use woody waste from Georgia’s forestry industry as the primary fuel source in a conventional boiler for the generation of steam to power a steam turbine electric generator. EMC and economic development officials announced a considerable economic boost to the area with the project’s estimated cost of $21.5 million and creation of new jobs.The former textile facility closed in 2006, resulting in the loss of 900 jobs and dealing a devastating blow to the small mountain town located near the North Carolina border. Putting the power plant back into service creates approximately 20 jobs for people to operate the plant and an additional 75 positions for people needed to gather and transport biomass to the facility. The power purchase agreement with Multitrade Rabun Gap is part of Green Power EMC's mission to research and deliver renewable energy options from Georgia resources such as biomass, solar, wind and low-impact hydro.The new facility gives Green Power EMC and its electric cooperative partners approximately 25 megawatts of renewable generation running today.This energy is available across the state through our 38cooperative partners and is enough to supply approximately 19,000 homes annually. Green Power EMC is a not-for-profit cooperative founded in August 2001 to support EMCs in their search for Georgia renewable resources.Energy generated through Green Power EMC goes directly into the power grid, mixing with traditional sources of electricity purchased and distributed by Georgia’s electric co-ops.The primary efforts of Green Power EMC have been to find, screen, analyze and negotiate power purchase agreements with Georgia-based renewable resource providers.Green Power EMC was the first green power program in the state with green power resources online and operational in October 2003. With every kilowatt of electricity generated from renewable sources, America takes another giant step toward a healthier planet that thrives without the risk of greenhouse gases.That step also brings America closer to the day when reliance on foreign sources of energy will decline. Georgia is rich in natural resources just waiting to be converted into electricity. Tapping these resources with modern and developing technologies will bring new opportunities to rural economies as each is brought online. Coweta-Fayette EMC is a consumer-owned cooperative providing electricity and related services to over 74,000 member accounts in Coweta, Fayette, Heard, South Fulton, Clayton, Spalding, Troup and Meriwether Counties. 
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