Drawdown Georgia Research Portal

Drawdown Georgia aims to accelerate progress toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions in Georgia. Our team of university researchers (from Georgia Tech, UGA, Emory, and Georgia State), and community partners (Southface Institute, Greenlink Analytics, Partnership for Southern Equity, and others) is providing a science-based approach to achieving the Drawdown Georgia goal.

Georgia Tech hosts this Drawdown Georgia Research Portal (with funding by the Ray C. Anderson Foundation). Visit the Drawdown Georgia website

Geospatial Tracking, Business Engagement, and Solution Activation

Track the GHG Footprint of GA Counties and Metro Areas

In the second phase of Drawdown Georgia, we are going to develop a geospatial system to track county- and metro-level, monthly greenhouse gas (GHG) estimates for Georgia. This system will focus on Georgia’s 159 counties and its energy-intensive sectors, e.g., electricity, transportation, buildings, and industry. On top of that, we would also estimate the amount of carbon emissions that are absorbed by Georgia’s forests and agricultural soils. These data will be visualized as an interactive map in a “Georgia Emissions Dashboard” where users can explore county-level data. By increasing GHG monitoring transparency, we can identify counties and sectors that are leading the state to carbon neutrality, those with large carbon footprints, and peers who can share winning strategies.

 Drawdown Georgia Emissions Dashboard 

Engage Business on Drawdown Georgia

The Drawdown Georgia project has demonstrated that there is a path to significant carbon emission reductions in Georgia by 2030 across a set of high-impact solutions. To achieve these emission reductions, it is imperative to actively engage the business community. Lessons can be shared by gathering businesses together in a state-wide “climate club” where companies and NGOs can participate in collective GHG reduction commitments. These actors would have access to workshops and products that translate the technical Drawdown Georgia work into the language of business. In parallel, “beyond carbon” considerations would be integrated into the workshops to provide companies with a clearer vision of how adopting high-impact solutions can lead to job creation, social performance, and ecosystem sustainability.

Drawdown Georgia Business Compact 

Research to Activate and Track Climate Solutions

Supported by geospatial tracking of climate solutions, supporting infrastructure, business commitments, policy actions, and public opinions, our research is identifying key activation levers. Data from multiple sources are being used to identify public attitudes and stakeholder views, pathways to solutions adoption, barriers that inhibit progress, and the power of enabling infrastructure. These data are being visualized in dynamic, interactive maps linked to Drawdown Georgia’s emissions dashboard. Promising policies are being profiled, and climate solution action plans are being developed.

Drawdown Georgia Research to Activate and Track Solutions

Recent Highlights: 

May 13, 2024 Track+Scale Workshop on the Climate Solutions Tracker

On May 13, Drawdown Georgia and the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy hosted a workshop on tracking and scaling Georgia’s Climate Solution at the The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, with more than one hundred experts and stakeholders who divided into groups to learn about and “test drive” the beta version of our new Climate Solutions Tracker. Dr. Marilyn Brown gave an overview of the Solutions Tracker, and Bill Drummond gave an update on the Emissions Tracker. DeAnna Oser and Crystal Jackson, LEED Green Associate also referred to how Drawdown Georgia's work contributed to the climate action plans recently released by Georgia's Environmental Protection Division and the Atlanta Regional Commission. Marshall Shepard and John Lanier closed out the workshop with motivational talks about climate resilience and the importance of climate solutions. You can access all the slide decks shown during the workshop here.

Kendeda photo

Since 2022, teams of Georgia Tech grad students have conducted research on high-impact climate solutions for Georgia. A selection of their reports and capstone papers are listed in the table below, by "sector" of the economy. Full documents are hotlinked to the titles. They all provide state-of-the-art information with some original calculations, assessments, and policy analytics. 

Buildings & Materials 

2025

Building Performance Standards- Increase Energy Efficiency in Industrial & Commercial Buildings6701Caitlyn Gibson, Max Hardin, Katherine Hudachek, Dilan Perrera
Electrifying Heating and Cooling Systems in Buildings6701Daein Kang & Wanqing Tang
Increasing Energy Efficiency in Industrial and Commercial Buildings through Energy Audits & Retrofits6701Riley Chodak, Anna Coley, Olivia Guarinello, Hannah Hernan
Residential Weatherization and Energy Retrofits6701Grayson Eady, Morgan Hale, Nallely Lepiz Madrigal, Maria Santaliz-Carmona, Taliah Smith, Jacqueline Tu

2024

Georgia Home Energy Rebate Programs and Their Applicability to Italian Policies6701Colleen Boyle & Dylan Reichert
Weatherization for Residential Buildings in Georgia6701Ansel Ahabue, Jazmin Lucio, Austin Ray
Unlocking Efficiency: Interventions for High-Emissions-Intensity HomesMSEEM CapstoneShireen Khan
The Effectiveness and Equitable Distribution of Eco-certified Buildings in GeorgiaMSEEM CapstoneAnsel Ahabue-Itua

 

Transportation

2025

Increasing Facilities to Maintain EV Fleets: A Proposal6701Jake Bryan, Heather Converse, Bridget Eilers, Abigail Henry, Maya Howayek, Shelby Platner
Expanding EV Charging Infrastructure: Local Government Community-Wide EV Charging Stations6701Jack Fenton, Aaron Fernandes, Emma Hudock, Bryce Johnson, James Leland, Destina Suren
Local Government Fleet Transition from Fossil Fuel to Electric Vehicle6701Andrew Williams, Josh Renkin, Juntian Wang, Kunder Likhit N, Sai Sravya Kuraparthi, Tatyana Medina
Marta railcar replacement program6701Brendan Hudgins, Caroline Sloan, Joshua Coffee, Ridhi Chaubey, Ryan Anderson, Mofoluke Obiri
Regional E-Bike Rebate Program: Incentivizing Use of E-Bikes6701Adil Ali Khan

2024

Statewide expansion of Atlanta-Regional Transit Link Authority’s (ATL’s) ‘Zero-Emissions Bus Plan6701Awa Dieye Kebe, Jacob Cumbie, John Harris
Analyzing factors affecting EV charging station ownership in Georgia6701Aaron Duhart, Megan Fannin, Wouter Van de Groep, Suprita Chakravarthy
ZEV fleet deployment6701Adrian Mungroo, Aditya Narayanan, Muaaz Ahmad, Samir Ahmadyar
Modeling the Impacts of 2024 EPA Clean Air Standards in Light-Duty VehiclesMSEEM CapstoneSuprita Chakravarthy

2022

EV charger infrastructure analysis in georgia6701Isaac Amponsah, Catherine Grey, Joseph Kern, Yifan Liu, Catriona MacGregor
US EV charging infrastructure6701Aditya Desai , Sahil Lala, Brandi Lewis , Arjun Thangaraj Ramshankar, Burhanuddin Samiwala, La’Darius Thomas

 

Electricity

2025

Increasing Solar PV on Local Government Facilities & University Campuses6701Karan Ravindra Gaikwad, Emily Carrillo, Hao Dong, Matthew Pilkay, Zekun Yang, Yiyang Zhang
Increased Use of Solar Photovoltaics (PV) Solar-Powered Central Energy Plant6701Rina Davila, Kevin Wu, Estatira Kahvazadeh, Rosemary Barrass, Mintiben Patel

2024

Community Solar in Georgia6701Callie Hood, Ryan Piansky, Simeon Salia, Sabrina Westgate
The State of Rooftop Solar In Georgia: Policy Implications and Recommendations for Future Growth6701Giovanni Delgadillo, Camila Gonzalez, Marianus Kick, Hamidreza Nazemi

2022

A Proposed Paradigm Shift of Demand Response in the SoutheastUtility RegulationChristopher Contos, Mathias Zacarias, Samantha Morton,  Alvaro Concha, Shavonn D’Souza
Prospect of Solar-Driven Ammonia Production: Technology, Distribution, and Policy Considerations6701Carlos Fernandez
Feasibility of Wind Power in North Georgia6701Jose Marte, Keith Dowsett, Krissie Haddon, Santiago Juarez, Shannon Chen, Tom Cihota
Assessing the Potential of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) in the U.S.6701Elliot Reid, Asher Mouat, Joe Caracciolo

 

Forest & Agriculture

2025

Priorities for Agroforestry in Sustainable Agriculture Policy: A Case for SilvopastureMSEEM CapstoneTaylor Clarke

2024

Key Considerations and Analysis of Silvopasture Adoption in Georgia6701Shivaprakash Muruganandham, Hui-Tien Sun, Taylor Clarke

2022

Assessing the Feasibility and Sustainability of Agroforestry in Georgia6701Ashwin Jajoo, Camila Ziadi, Garrett Tallman, Troy Heinzmann
Renewable Resources on Poultry Farms in Georgia6701Emma Brodzik, Maria Lucas, Blake jones, lily smith, Osamuyi Obadolagbonyi, Ashok Sankaran

 

Waste Management

2025

Community Composting6701Sophie Lemaignen, Thomas Fuentes, Agustin Fleiderman, and Eric Greenlee

2024

Landfill Gas Recovery for Energy in the United States: A contextual case study of three states’ approaches6701Kelly Farmer, Rachel Isley, Fernando Karg Bulnes, Raj Patel

2022

Analyzing Circular Supply Chains for Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling6701Shubham Tandon, Shivtej Shete, Ruthwik Aki, Viraj Shah, Anush Oswal, Shlok Sharma

 

Cross-Sector

2025

The Effects of Green Communities Program Implementation in Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area6701Yunyi Anderson, Hayley Capilitan, Emily Faltemier, Carolyn Payne, Om Shah

2024

Distributed Solar Energy and Electric Vehicle Virtual Power Plant Storage for Electric Cooperative and Municipal Utilities Nationwide6701Ellis Ewert, Kunal Krishnaswami, Ruth Murdoch, Sneha Sequeira
Establishing a Voluntary Carbon Offset Market in the State of GeorgiaMSEEM CapstoneTimothy Sterling

 

National Academy of Sciences publication on Drawdown Georgia was highlighted at the NAS 2022 Annual Meeting. See the YouTube video of Dr. Marilyn Brown at the National Academies of Sciences, 4/30/22 here: Localized Roadmaps to Fight the Climate Crisis.

“A Framework for Localizing Global Climate Solutions and their Carbon Reduction Potential” shows how Georgia can reduce its carbon footprint by 50% in 2030 below its 2005 net emissions. With the roadmap produced by Drawdown Georgia, we can meet our fair share of the Paris Accord's science-based climate goals. The roadmap is aspirational, but also realistic. And it is attentive to the needs of Georgia's resource-constrained communities.

Achievable Abatement Potential for 20 Georgia Solutions

Achievable Abatement Potential for 20 Georgia Solutions

In Spring 2021, Georgia Tech Grad Students Studied Drawdown Georgia's High-Impact Solutions--Enjoy their 9 videos


Nine fantastic class projects offer valuable insights into Drawdown Georgia's high-impact solutions--technology overviews, market assessments, stakeholder perspectives, and policy options. The videos are hot-linked to each of the project titles below. 

IconTitleGroup Members
Home with solar panel

Facilitating a Solarized GeorgiaPaprapee Buason, Min-Kyeong (Min) Cha, Théo Davis, Parker Hamilton, Bethany Tate
Home with solar panel

Energy Burden Drawdown: How Georgia Can Promote Rooftop Solar with a Focus on Equity and InclusionMohannad Alkhraijah, Mona Dandan, Nidhima Grover, Simon Key, Heather Null, Jennifer Wilson
Large scale solar iconUtility-Scale Solar: Maximizing Potential for the State of GeorgiaJessica Kuna, Hadassah Robbins, Hassan Haddad, Sonja Brankovic, Claire Cressman
Large scale solar iconUtility-Scale Solar in GeorgiaKelsey Alexander, Maddy Bodiford, Nidhi Gangavarapu, Nifemi Moronkeji, Rich Stanzione
Retrofitting Building IconGreen Retrofitting in GeorgiaDaniel Mactaggart, Garry Harris, Jayna Glover, June Fodor
Retrofitting Building IconTransit HeatChiraag Vinod Bhawnani, PJ LoCicero, Geneva Rumer
Electric Vehicle IconAssessing the Potential for Increased Electric Vehicles Use in the Context of Drawdown GeorgiaAlejandro Owen Aquino, Bettina Arkhurst, Jonathan Drummond, Gunjan Gupta, Sooji Ha, Tucker Hembree, Niveda Shanmugam
Multicolored Energy Efficient Truck Icon

Energy Efficient Trucks in GeorgiaDiana Burns, Hannah Griggs, Kayla Kelley, Lance Smith, Brooke Schuhle, Cristian Arguello
Afforestation and Silvopasture IconLand Sink Policy in GeorgiaMadeline Shepard, Isaiah Borne, Brooklyn Mooney, Lauren Rister, Haylee Stanger

Recent Events


Solve Climate by 2020, a webinar on April 7, 2021, focused on Drawdown Georgia: https://cepl.gatech.edu/climate-dialogue

Webinar on October 21, 2020 (2-3:30 pm ET): Watch the recording of "The Science Behind Drawdown Georgia"

2019-20: Selecting High Impact GA Solutions

1. Phase One Overview

2. Technical Review of 75 possible solutions for Georgia

The Academic Research team presented the findings of the carbon sinks and Mt CO2 reductions that are technically feasible to reach achieve a net zero GHG footprint and sell excess credits into carbon offset markets.

Achievable Potential
Download the 50-page slide deck of Drawdown Georgia

The Drawdown Georgia project was spotlighted in a half-day of activities at the August 6, 2020, Southface Institute’s Greenprints Conference. The project was introduced by John Lanier (Ray C. Anderson Foundation) and Daniel Rochberg (Emory University), then described in some detail by Marilyn Brown (Georgia Tech). Five high-profile Drawdown Georgia solutions were then introduced: Rooftop Solar (Marilyn Brown), Demand Response (Matt Cox), Composting (Sudhagar Mani), Retrofitting (Shane Totten), and Electric Vehicles (Rich Simmons). Before breaking into discussion sessions, Michael Oxman (Georgia Tech) described the Beyond Carbon considerations. The break-out discussions were synthesized in Miro Boards – characterizing Accelerators, Barriers, Beyond Carbon, and Promising Approaches. The participants offered lots of ideas and insights, which was a key goal of the event.

 

3. Down-select High Impact Solutions

working paper
47 Page Narrative of the Research Process
Appendix Thumbnail
Appendix of Technical Briefs

Read the Working Paper and Appendix

This working paper (on left) describes the first phase of our research, involving a fact-based assessment of Project Drawdown's solutions, to identify those that could significantly reduce Georgia’s carbon footprint by 2030.  The Appendix (on right) includes logic diagrams, info sheets, and references describing 75 individual solutions. Below is a quick reference of the 20 high impact solutions, organized by sector, which are retained for further research into costs and benefits required for carbon drawdown.

 

Down-selection flow chart
Down-selection flow chart

4. Detailed Analysis of 20 High Impact Solutions

20 Tech Briefs and Powerpoint Presentations 

Electricity

  • Cogen iconCogeneration   
    16 additional 25 MW cogen plants using waste heat to generate electricity
  • Demand Response iconDemand Response   
    187,000 households participate in a demand-response program, reducing 10% of their peak demand
  • Home with solar panelRooftop Solar  
    295,000 new 5 KW home solar systems
  • Large scale solar iconLarge-Scale Solar 
    10 additional 100 MW solar farms and 36 additional 5 MW community solar systems
  • Landfill methane iconLandfill Methane 
    4 typical landfill facilities with 5 MW gas-to-energy systems

Transportation


Buildings & Materials


Food & Agriculture

  • Composting IconComposting  
    Divert ~2 million tons of organic wastes including food waste from landfilling to composting by 2030
  • Conservation Agriculture IconConservation Agriculture  
    Adapt additional 1.6 million acres of croplands into conservation agriculture practices in Georgia
  • Tomato and Carrot Plan IconPlant-Rich Diet 
    25% of Georgia population shifts to plant-rich or low-carbon diets
  • Reduced Food Waste IconReduced Food Waste 
    Reduce about 12% of current food waste 

Land Sinks

 

5. Directory to Multi-Disciplinary Workgroups

Six sector workgroups are comprised of faculty, researchers, and graduate students at four universities: Georgia Tech, University of Georgia, Emory University, and Georgia State.

Activities:

1. Hosted a Workshop at the Kendeda Living Building, Georgia Tech, November 6th, 2019 

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2. Presented workplans and preliminary results at the 2019 Georgia Climate Conference, Emory University

Current Phase: Activating and Tracking Drawdown Solutions

1. Short List of Solutions