Solar Holler and Coalfield Development hold a ceremony to flip the switch on a solar panel installation on the roof of West Edge on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, in Huntington. The 294 solar panels make up one of the largest solar installations in West Virginia — and the largest powering a community nonprofit. Now Solar Holler has installed the largest solar system in West Virginia at a farm in Hardy County.
Solar Holler and Coalfield Development hold a ceremony to flip the switch on a solar panel installation on the roof of West Edge on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, in Huntington. The 294 solar panels make up one of the largest solar installations in West Virginia — and the largest powering a community nonprofit. Now Solar Holler has installed the largest solar system in West Virginia at a farm in Hardy County.
OLD FIELDS, W.Va. — Solar Holler has installed nearly 1,400 solar panels at a poultry farm in Hardy County.
The panels will provide the farm with 941,371 kWh of energy per year, making it the largest in all of West Virginia, according to a press release from Solar Holler.
Oak Tree Farm raises broiler chickens. The panels were made possible by the collaborative efforts of Solar Holler, Davis Hill Development, Skyview Ventures and West Virginia Poultry Partners, according to the release.
“We are thrilled to have reached our latest milestone, building and turning on the largest solar system in West Virginia history,” Dan Conant, founder and CEO of Solar Holler, said in the release. “Our partnership with West Virginia Poultry Partners and Skyview Ventures will provide more than 99% of the electricity needed at Oak Tree Farm, while helping to feed thousands of families every year.”
Conant said projects like this would not have been permitted in West Virginia just a couple of years ago. He said recently passed legislation legalized power purchase agreements, which allow companies such as Solar Holler to own and operate a solar system while another party enjoys the benefits of low-cost fixed utility rates and clean energy.
“With no upfront cost, it’s easy for companies like Oak Tree Farm to transition to renewable energy sources,” he said.
“This project is exactly what the future of solar in the United States should be. Solar Holler is a Benefit Corporation that is training workers for West Virginia’s future energy industry, while installing locally manufactured racking and modules whenever possible,” Andy Karetsky, president of Skyview Ventures, said in the release.
Solar Holler’s modeling and design work is backed with a production guarantee that translates to a 10% reduction in the cost of electricity for Oak Tree Farm, Karetsky said. Ultimately, the system will allow for expanded operations at the farm, which means hiring more West Virginians and bringing more food production back to the state, he said.
Robert Williams of West Virginia Poultry Partners asked, ”We have to get electricity from somewhere — where do you want it to come from? Solar just seems like such a great option for us, as a country, as a world. We should harvest as much of the sun as possible. It’s there, it’s free, and it’s not depleting any resources that are already here.”
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