FLS & First Light Solar News

TUESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2009 17:41

Canton site will provide 550 kilowatts by end of February

Construction on Haywood County’s first solar field is underway in Canton and is expected to begin producing clean energy early next year.

FLS Energy, based in Black Mountain, began constructing its 3-acre solar field at an old landfill no longer in use by Evergreen Packaging. Constructed in phases, the field will produce 550 kilowatts to sell to Progress Energy, said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy.

Senate Bill 3, passed in 2007, requires energy companies to obtain 12.5 percent of its energy from renewable sources, such as solar or wind, by 2012.  The company originally planned to install enough solar units to produce 1 megawatt of energy, but once detailed studies of the landfill began, the plan changed.
“We were constrained by the landfill space,” Shore said. “A lot goes into the design, including the technology, the panels, racking system and the surface area. When it all came together, 550 kilowatts was what we could do.”

Since the site is a closed landfill, the ground cannot be penetrated, said Adam Sacora, lead installer for FLS Energy.

“It’s been a fun challenge trying to figure out how to build on a landfill site with restrictions on the ground,” Sacora said. “There is a 2-foot cap over the debris and we cannot penetrate the cap, so everything has to start at the ground level. That makes it unique for any type of construction.”

To provide a base for the solar units, FLS Energy constructed concrete pads on top of the soil. Sacora said the pads will provide counterweight against high winds to the solar units, as well as support on the ground.
So far, 15 units have been installed as part of the first phase of installation. Each solar unit has 12 panels and a panel can generate 240 watts of electricity. There will be 90 units once the project is complete by the end of February, Shore said.

The $5 million project will not just provide clean energy. It has created jobs and infused money into local economies, said Shore. The steel is made in Western North Carolina and the panels are made in the Southeast United States.

“We are very committed to buying locally and at least in the U.S.,” Shore said.
So far, eight jobs have been created and Shore anticipates hiring 20 people before the year is out. But the jobs will not leave once the project is complete, he said, since there are a lot of jobs around clean energy.
“We have always retained those we hire,” Shore said. “The crew is working hard and loves the contribution they are making to the community.”

In addition to providing clean energy, Shore said he is pleased his company can play a part in helping the environment.

“For me, it’s the perfect use for vast acres of land with no other use,” he said. “Here we are in Western North Carolina doing a big solar project that improves air quality, creates jobs and provides clean energy. It’s a triple play and all these things fit together so well.”
For more information about FLS Energy, visit www.flsenergy.com.