CASE STUDY: Georgia Chamber’s Annual Energy Summit Helps Businesses Tackle Rising Energy Demand
Overview
From clean tech and innovation to sustainability and resiliency, Georgia businesses are facing big opportunities — and big risks — as energy demand surges. To help its members stay ahead, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce hosts the Future of Energy & Sustainability Summit, bringing together top business and economic leaders to share best practices, track the changing energy landscape, and build partnerships across the energy and sustainability sectors.
The annual summit has quickly become a go-to forum for chamber and business leaders from across the region to understand trends, manage risk, and seize new opportunities in Georgia’s clean energy economy.
Context
Savannah Taylor, Research Director for the Georgia Chamber Foundation and lead organizer of the conference, oversees labor and economic trend data for the Chamber and chairs its Energy and Sustainability Policy Committee. With a background in sustainability, she keeps a close watch on Georgia’s fast-growing clean energy sector and how it intersects with economic growth.
Energy reliability and supply are top-of-mind for Georgia’s businesses — and strong infrastructure is key. Right now, the state’s booming data center industry is a major driver of increased demand, a topic that frequently comes up in the state legislature. The Chamber has also identified five high-growth occupations for Georgia’s future, including advanced manufacturing.
Georgia’s Clean Energy Landscape:
Over 80,000 clean energy jobs statewide, growing at a rate of 5% per year.
More than $31.3 billion in EV investments, creating 39,400 jobs.
Statewide electricity demand is expected to triple over the next decade, driven by new data centers and manufacturing facilities.
Georgia is among the top importers of electricity across state lines, highlighting the need for local supply and resiliency.
Summit Highlights
Given this shifting energy landscape, Georgia businesses are increasingly aware that energy supply and cost directly affect their bottom line. The Future of Energy & Sustainability Summit helps chambers and businesses tackle Georgia’s rising energy demand with practical solutions and connections, with:
Acknowledgment that growing energy demand and policy uncertainty equates to business risk.
An ‘all of the above’ energy approach, sharing insights on mature and emerging markets from solar and EV manufacturing to grid resiliency and sustainability.
A deep focus on workforce, helping chambers and employers align on training and recruitment needs and opportunities with Georgia’s advanced manufacturing and clean energy sectors.
A Model for Chamber Leadership
As Taylor explains, "Every chamber I know is membership-driven, and members are interested in this topic. Folks who have been in the arena, such as utilities, are finding new and different innovation partners. The conference is great for networking…folks want to talk about their achievements in this field, they want to tell their story.”
By hosting the summit, the Georgia Chamber shows how chambers can lead: convening the right people, addressing real business risks, and helping members stay competitive in a fast-changing energy market.
Impact for Businesses & the Community
With high growth in demand for energy, businesses are very interested in learning more about their options for energy access. Whether operating a data center, expanding manufacturing, or managing supply chain costs, Georgia businesses rely on energy that is reliable, affordable, and sustainable. The summit helps them plan for the future, with information, connections, and concrete steps to manage risk and seize growth.
Josh Raglin, Chief Sustainability Officer at Norfolk Southern, one of the Georgia Chamber’s largest member companies, sums up: “As one of the nation’s largest railroad networks, we strive for resilient, sustainable service for our customers and our communities. Our investment in low-carbon fuels, renewable energy, and our people are leading the way.”
Because some people, including parents of young adults entering the workforce, remain skeptical about careers in manufacturing, they often don’t realize how advanced and high-tech these jobs are today. The companies most successful at attracting skilled manufacturing workers are those deeply connected in the community—and they urgently need more people.
Results & Next Steps:
The 2025 Future of Energy & Sustainability Summit drew over 275 attendees and 25 expert speakers, giving chambers, businesses, and community leaders across the region a practical forum to plan for the rising energy demand shaping the state’s economy.
Looking ahead, the Georgia Chamber plans to build on this momentum with an even deeper focus on high-growth opportunities like battery production, EV supply chains, and solar manufacturing. By staying at the forefront of Georgia’s energy conversation, the Chamber continues to show how business leadership can help communities manage risk, attract new industries, and create good local jobs—all while meeting rising demand for reliable, affordable, sustainable energy.
To learn more about the Georgia Chamber’s Future of Energy & Sustainability Summit, contact Savannah Taylor at staylor@gachamber.com or click here to see the 2025 program.