Markets & Momentum: Drawdown Georgia Business Compact’s David Eady Featured on TAG’s “Sustainability Talk” Podcast Highlighting How Business Drives Georgia’s Clean Energy Future
Director of industry engagement for the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business joins expert panel in a dynamic discussion on cleantech as part of Technology Association of Georgia’s series
In the recent episode of the Sustainability Talk podcast, the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) convened a panel of experts to explore Georgia’s leadership at the forefront of clean technology transformation. From advanced market movements to meeting surging energy demand in the state, the conversation was wide-ranging and solution-oriented. As the panel’s sustainability change agents shared their insights, one consistent throughline emerged: The business community is not waiting to act on the clean energy transition. With change as their clarion call, businesses in Georgia have taken bold steps – investing more than $28 billion and creating 30,000 jobs in clean manufacturing. At the heart of this momentum is a community of leaders committed to decarbonizing the economy in the state.
Impact through Collaboration
“I think there’s great potential for companies to come together,” according to David Eady, director of industry engagement for the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business. “You’re already seeing it in coalitions like Frontier – which consists of Alphabet, Meta, Stripe, Shopify, and McKinsey as founding members – where they proclaim advance market commitments to purchase 1 billion permanent carbon removals.” Eady outlined engineered and nature-based options and said scaled solutions stem from a unified stance. “There are opportunities for companies that are part of the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact (Compact) and other industries to come together and drive demand in ways that reflect their strategic objectives and corporate values.”
The Compact’s approach focuses on shared learning and strategic collaboration, harnessing the collective impact of the Georgia business community. In discussing the state’s clean energy potential, the panelists highlighted regional strengths as a differentiator. “We’ve got forestry resources, agricultural feedstocks, and rail, road and pipeline infrastructure, including the busiest airport in the world,” according to Eady. “That gives us a unique opportunity to build supply chains around sustainable aviation fuels and other low-carbon solutions right here in Georgia.” But the benefits go beyond emission reduction. “By investing locally, we’re not just advancing climate goals – we’re plugging economic leaks, creating jobs, and strengthening rural economies,” Eady said. “That isn’t just good for the environment – it’s good business.”
Expanding Energy Options
When asked to name some defining data in cleantech from the last year, panelists described the projected growth of energy use in the state as a wake-up call for business, industry, and the utility sector. “There are a couple of stats, but I'll just do one – 36.5 gigawatts – that’s what Georgia Power is currently forecasting as the demand growth for power over the next 10 years,” said Eady. With nearly 90 large-scale industrial projects anticipated over the decade, Georgia is facing mounting pressure to expand its energy capacity. “Of the new Vogtle units – Units Three and Four – each of them generates about 1.12 gigawatts of power, so we would need lots more of those – 30 of them or more – in the state to really meet the demand.” The need for sustainable energy deployment, development, and diversification is clear.
The panelists also talked about the benefits of keeping energy production here in the state. “There’s an opportunity to have homegrown fuel, for example, and that plugs a leak on the money going out the door,” said Eady. “It also generates a lot of additional economic opportunity with a lot of jobs operating facilities.” While much of the conversation on energy centered around new generation and industry innovation, the discussion also addressed using less and building smarter, especially in residential construction. “By investing in homes, we create new higher quality living,” said Eady. “We also increase their energy efficiency at the same time, thereby reducing their energy burden, reducing the demand for power.”
Georgia Business Looks Ahead
With an eye on what’s next, the panel pointed to emerging tools like advance market commitments as key mechanisms to accelerate demand and reduce risk for investments in clean technologies. “When major buyers like Delta, UPS, and FedEx send a coordinated demand signal – whether for sustainable aviation fuel or engineered carbon removal – it creates the kind of certainty that supply-side innovators need to scale,” Eady said. These kinds of signals are powerful because they show the market that these businesses are serious and ready to buy. Eady said, “It’s a proactive way for companies to shape the future they want, instead of waiting for the policy environment to catch up.”
Panelists emphasized how sustainability isn’t about checking a box but about future-proofing business. Companies that align their sustainability goals with their broader business strategy often find that decarbonization becomes a driver of innovation. Reflecting on how business-led sustainability efforts continue even amid a changing political climate, panelists noted that climate commitments remain firm. “We started the conversation around the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact during [the previous] administration, launching in October 2021 with a dozen founding members, and have continued to grow since then,” said Eady. “It’s really because it makes sense for business. Businesses are saying, despite shifting political winds, ‘We are still in.’ We’re still committed to those goals.’”
Visit TAG’s Podcast Page to hear the full episode of “Sustainability Talk Podcast Episode 3.” The podcast is a production of the TAG Smart Communities and Sustainability Society, part of the Technology Association of Georgia, a membership organization that drives innovation among the state’s technology community.
Are you a business leader in the state committed to sustainable solutions? Join other leading companies by becoming a member of the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact. Visit Get Involved on the Compact’s website to learn more or email David Eady, director of industry engagement for the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business.