Securing Georgia’s energy future: the case for renewables

Energy security is no longer just about keeping the lights on—it is about safeguarding Georgia’s economy, stability, and European future.

Energy is more than fuel for homes and businesses. It is the lifeblood of economies, the foundation of national security, and the enabler of every modern service—from healthcare to digital communication. Without a reliable energy system, no country can achieve sustainable growth or social stability.

That is why governments worldwide classify energy as critical infrastructure: an asset so vital that its disruption would have immediate and severe consequences. For Georgia—strategically located between producers in the Caspian and Central Asia and consumers in Europe and Turkey—this recognition carries special urgency. Geography gives the country opportunities as a transit corridor but also exposes it to vulnerabilities tied to external supply dynamics.

For Georgia, energy security is particularly pressing. The country relies heavily on imported fossil fuels, leaving it vulnerable to price volatility, geopolitical tensions, and natural disasters. Even temporary disruptions can slow industrial output, weaken investor confidence, and strain household budgets. Protecting the energy sector is therefore more than a technical challenge—it is a national security priority.

Why renewables are the core of energy security

Renewables offer Georgia a path to resilience that fossil fuels cannot. By diversifying supply, they reduce dependence on imports and shield the economy from unpredictable global markets. By lowering emissions, they also align Georgia with the Paris Agreement, European standards, and its own environmental commitments.

Georgia’s National Energy Policy already identifies renewables as central to its long-term vision. Hydropower has long been the backbone of electricity supply, but diversification into solar and wind is now critical. Rising consumption—driven by economic expansion, digitalization, and population growth—makes this diversification urgent.

Renewables also unlock new opportunities. With sufficient investment, Georgia could position itself as a regional hub, exporting clean electricity to neighbors and strengthening its geopolitical relevance. This would provide fresh revenue streams, improve the trade balance, and elevate the country’s strategic role in the Caucasus and beyond.

Closing Georgia’s digital and policy gaps

Cybersecurity concerns. Modernizing the grid and embracing smart technologies brings benefits, but also new vulnerabilities. Renewable plants, transmission networks, and even household solar systems are increasingly digital, interconnected, and automated—making them prime targets for cyberattacks. Globally, cyber incidents against energy infrastructure rose more than 30% between 2020 and 2023, and Georgia is not immune. While it has general cybersecurity laws, it lacks energy-specific rules such as mandatory incident reporting or resilience testing. To align with EU practice, Georgia must adopt binding standards, backed by audits and crisis-response protocols.

Artificial intelligence. AI brings both promise and risk. Used responsibly, it can optimize forecasting, reduce outages, and enable predictive maintenance—already in use by European operators. But it also enables more sophisticated cyberattacks. Georgia currently has no AI governance framework for energy, leaving regulators and operators without guidance. A national AI strategy, modeled on the EU’s AI Act, could set transparency, risk, and accountability standards while still encouraging innovation.

Lack of legal recognition. While Georgia’s energy policy stresses the importance of clean energy, renewables are not formally designated as critical infrastructure. This deprives the sector of the protections granted to defense, transport, or healthcare. Enshrining renewables as critical infrastructure in law would help guarantee long-term security and reassure investors that projects are treated as nationally vital assets.

Bureaucratic hurdles. Permitting delays and financing barriers weaken resilience. Hydropower, wind, and solar projects often face unpredictable timelines for land-use approvals, environmental impact reviews, and construction permits. In practice, projects can take years to advance, deterring foreign investment. By contrast, EU states with “one-stop-shop” permitting have cut approval times by up to 50%. Georgia could replicate this model while expanding financing tools such as green bonds and public-private guarantees.

Institutional fragmentation. Energy security responsibilities are split across multiple ministries and agencies, leading to inconsistent monitoring and delayed responses. A permanent interagency task force—bringing together regulators, law enforcement, the private sector, and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development—would strengthen coordination and ensure risks are detected and addressed quickly.

Insufficient training and expertise. Resilience requires people as well as policies. Operators and public institutions lack training in cyber resilience and AI risk management. Capacity-building programs, supported by EU partners and international donors, could close this skills gap. Enhanced regional cooperation—particularly through cross-border energy trade with the EU—would further strengthen Georgia’s role in Europe’s clean energy transition.

The stakes

Protecting and expanding renewable energy will determine whether Georgia can meet rising demand, reduce dependence on imports, and integrate into European markets. The stakes are both economic and strategic: failure to act risks leaving the country exposed to external shocks, while bold action can secure resilience for decades to come.

By strengthening laws, modernizing policy, and embracing digital innovation with safeguards, Georgia can transform renewables into more than just a source of clean electricity. They can become the cornerstone of a secure, independent, and forward-looking national infrastructure.

Levan Kokaia is a strategic legal advisor in renewable energy and a lawyer for the Georgian Renewable Energy Development Association (GREDA).