The growth of solar in Knoxville, including the creation of a sustainable solar infrastructure, resulted from renewable energy programs established by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and three overlapping programs.  TVA provides electricity for 9 million people in seven south-eastern states, as well as, assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.  One of TVA's goals is to help the Tennessee Valley become one of the nation's leading providers of low-cost, cleaner energy by 2020.  To move toward that goal, TVA created several renewable and clean-energy programs.