By Keith Johnston and Kurt Ebersbach

Despite similar climates, both political and meteorological, Georgia and Alabama could not be more different in their approach to solar power. While Georgia's conservative leaders have moved to foster this increasingly robust industry and the many jobs and consumer benefits it provides, Alabama has seen no similar leadership.

The difference isn't due to weather. Both states are comparable in terms of solar power potential, among the sunniest in the nation. The difference is in policy - while Georgia's policymakers see the value in promoting the state's clean energy economy through cost-effective solar investments, Alabama has shown no similar inclination and has even erected solar-killing barriers.

Georgia's solar surge began more than two years ago when the state's largest utility, Georgia Power, proposed adding 210 megawatts of solar to its supply mix. The move occurred amid growing criticism of the utility's reluctance to embrace solar as a viable generation resource. The all-Republican Georgia Public Service Commission approved the proposal but thought the utility could do better. In mid-2013, the Commission ordered Georgia Power to more than triple this output by procuring an additional 525 MW of solar generation - enough to power over 50,000 homes.

Georgia is now on track to add nearly 1 gigawatt of solar generation by 2016 and is considered a national leader in solar generation. None of this new solar will increase costs for consumers. Instead, according to Georgia Power, recent solar power deals will save Georgia ratepayers several hundred million dollars. They will also bring millions of dollars in tax revenue to economically strained, rural communities across Georgia where solar farms are being built, and create thousands of jobs.

Meanwhile, Georgia policymakers have resisted utility attempts to stifle solar's growth. It's no secret that utility-monopolies view solar as a threat to their traditional business model. So it came as no surprise in late 2013 when Georgia Power launched a preemptive assault on solar customers. A tariff proposed by the utility would have charged roughly $22 a month for customers using solar panels to offset electricity consumption at their homes, businesses, and farms. After formal hearings and considerable public outcry, Georgia Power agreed to withdraw the punitive tax. As a result, in Georgia solar remains an economical option for individuals and businesses seeking to reduce their electricity bills.

Now consider Alabama. Alabama Power, sister utility to Georgia Power, has no solar purchase program to speak of. The state's solar installations remain discouragingly low - less than 1 MW. And despite these low levels of solar, the Alabama Public Service Commission early last year adopted the very sort of solar tax rejected in Georgia. The tariff imposes a monthly charge of $5.00 per kilowatt on residents, small businesses and schools who rely partially on solar to offset their energy consumption in the Alabama Power service territory. The effect of the charge - and no doubt its purpose - is to destroy the economics of solar by clawing back up to 50 percent of the savings solar customers would otherwise realize. This leaves little incentive to make the investments required to "go solar."

The Alabama Commission hastily approved this tariff without any public input on the wisdom or justification for this new tax. Had the proceedings involved appropriate scrutiny, as in Georgia, it is doubtful the tax would have passed muster. With this tax in place, solar installations in Alabama will remain miniscule - precisely what monopolies like Alabama Power want.

As a result of these policies, it's no surprise that Alabama ranks 49th among states in solar jobs per capita. Meanwhile, Georgia is poised to be among the top five states in terms of solar capacity, and has six times as many solar jobs as Alabama.

As solar costs continue to fall, Alabama should follow Georgia's lead. Alabama Power and its regulators at the PSC should seize the opportunity to lower costs for consumers and bring jobs and needed revenue to economically struggling areas of the state. Moreover, they should remove the punitive tax on citizens who would use solar power to reduce their energy bills. Let 2015 be the year when Alabama finally embraces its abundant solar potential and the economic growth that will come with it.

Keith Johnston is the managing attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center's Birmingham office.

Kurt Ebersbach, a senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center's Atlanta office, works on air and energy issues in Georgia and Alabama.