Mitchell County Economic Development Authority Chairman Joe Bostick Jr. received the 2014 Solar Advocate Award from the Georgia Solar Energy Association (GSEA) on December 18, 2014, at the organization's annual Holiday Celebration.

Bostick was honored for his prolonged effort to move the project from proposal to productive capacity against significant odds. When construction of the Camilla project was completed, the 150-acre development was the second-largest solar development in Georgia. The $35 million project is Mitchell County's third-largest economic investment. As part of the awards ceremony, GA Solar created a VIDEO to tell the Camilla story.

Although skeptical of solar energy at first, Bostick told the GSEA gathering that the project has confirmed his faith in solar as an economic plus for Georgia. He said the county would like to compete for additional solar projects in the future.

"The project almost didn't happen several different times in several different ways," he said. "But we continued to push forward. We saw the virtue of it. We wanted it."

GA Solar Chairman Brion Fitzpatrick of Inman Solar presented Bostick with the award, a framed solar cell. James Marlow, CEO of Radiance Solar, introduced Bostick, after the video's debut.

"With utility scale solar development now spreading throughout Georgia, we wanted to honor this farsighted individual who recognizes the significant economic benefits of solar for his community," Fitzpatrick said after the presentation. "Joe worked tirelessly to raise awareness of solar energy as a positive asset at a time when many people were unaware of its potential."

Counties throughout Georgia are seeing the positive economic impact these solar projects bring, just as the Camilla development demonstrated. Joe Bostick Jr. was the local champion there, presenting the proposal to the County Commission. He helped local leaders realize that solar projects contribute significant revenue to the county's operations without adding any demand for county services, even with tax incentives that make the projects more viable.