2010.06.28 – FLS Energy Newsletter – June 2010

Posted June 28, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

Governor Perdue visits Camp Lejeune solar project

On May 20, N.C. Governor Beverly Perdue made a stop in Eastern North Carolina where military housing developer and builder, Actus Lend Lease, Atlantic Marine Corps Communities (AMCC) and FLS Energy are developing the largest solar powered residential community in the continental U.S. at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC. The 900 individual systems will provide 75% of the hot water to homes on the base and is setting an environmental example for other military installations to follow. FLS Energy will own the systems and will sell the heated water to Actus Lend Lease at rates equal to or less than traditional fossil fuels.

Just last week, FLS Energy and the Camp Lejeune project were featured on National Public Radio’s “All Tech Considered.” Click here to listen to the great story!


FLS Energy presented at National Solar Energy Conference

Dale Freudenberger, President of FLS Energy, was asked to speak at Solar 2010, the American Solar Energy Society’s 39th Annual National Solar Energy Conference in Phoenix last month.  It’s America’s leading conference on the emerging trends, technology, and opportunities shaping the new energy economy.  Dale spoke about commercial-scale solar thermal systems in a forum titled “Solar Thermal Heating & Cooling: A Hot Solution for a Cooler Climate.”  He had a lot to talk about.  No one in the country has more on the ground experience developing commercial-scale solar thermal projects than FLS Energy!

Mark your calendars! The 2011 National Solar Energy Conference will be in Raleigh, NC!


Michael Shore is Small Business Leader of the Year

Michael Shore, FLS Energy’s CEO and a founding partner, was honored on Monday, June 21st at the 113th Annual Meeting of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce as their “Small Business Leader of the Year.”  The meeting and awards Dinner was held at the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa.  Over 800 area business and community leaders were in attendance.  Michael was selected as an individual who clearly reflects quality and dedication in the operation of business in the Asheville area and provides leadership accomplishments including innovation, initiative and civic responsiveness.

Thanks to the Chamber and Time Capsule Video for producing this video about Michael and FLS Energy.

The Hospitality Industry is in Hot Water with FLS Energy

Hotels are a perfect candidate for solar hot water systems.  Thousands of gallons of hot water are needed daily for cleaning, cooking and guest use.  Not only are solar thermal systems carbon-cutting, sustainable energy applications, but they are also a cost effective way to heat water that can save a hotel up to 20% in energy expenses.

With the Proximity Hotel, Kanuga Conference Center and the Hilton Asheville systems performing very well, we have made it our mission to encourage more hotel owners and developers – and even national brands – to make commitments to solar energy.  Below are just a few of our most recent hospitality industry clients.  They truly are leaders in making solar mainstream!  If you are traveling in these areas, please consider staying with them and thanking them for their commitment to sustainability!

Courtyard Marriott, Downtown Greenville, SC :

FLS Energy designed, engineered and installed the 60 panel system at the new Courtyard Marriott in Downtown Greenville, SC.  The system is currently creating almost 3000 gallons of sun heated water a day and is the largest system of its kind in the state of South Carolina.

At the project’s announcement in February, Bo Aughtry, Principle with the hotel’s developer, Windsor/Aughtry Company, said, “After payback, the sun will be heating nearly a million gallons of water a year for free. This is a very big investment for us and a significant milestone for Marriott. We hope to be the first of many hotels that will make this environmentally sensitive move.”

Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Asheville, NC:

The historic and world renowned Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa has recently signed a Solar Energy Purchase Agreement with FLS Energy for a 12-panel solar thermal system to be installed at their Sports Complex.  The system will produce approximately 600 gallons of hot water a day for use in the showers.  FLS Energy will own and maintain the system, and sell the hot water back to the Grove Park Inn at a rate equal to or less than traditional fossil fuels.

As an internationally known hotel, FLS Energy is proud to be a part of the Grove Park Inn’s commitment to sustainability.

Hilton Knoxville Airport, Alcoa, TN:

The Hilton Knoxville Airport will soon become one of the first hotels in Tennessee to utilize solar thermal technology.  A commercial-scale 40-panel, solar thermal system will be installed by the end of the year on the roof of the hotel near Knoxville, TN.  FLS Energy will design, install, and maintain the system, which will work silently in cooperation with the hotel’s existing water heating units.  The system will heat an average of nearly 2,000 gallons of water per day for the Hilton.

“We are proud to be on the leading edge of sustainable tourism in Tennessee,” said Pace Cooper, Cooper Hotels’ president and CEO.  Mr. Cooper encourages all Tennessee hotel owners to participate in environmental programs and learn about the financial benefits of operating sustainably with clean energy technologies. The federal government and the State of Tennessee offer a combination of tax credits, incentives and grants for companies wanting to utilize solar energy.


Candlewood Suites, Fayetteville, NC:

FLS Energy will be installing a solar thermal system on a new Candlewood Suites in Fayetteville, NC.  FLS Energy is proud to partner with NHG Hotels, the owner of the property, to develop the first solar hot water system for an International Hotel Group property.  IHG is the brand responsible for such household names as Holiday Inn and Intercontinental Hotels.  This project is another first for FLS Energy in mainstreaming solar energy into the hospitality industry.


WNC Magazine features Evergreen Solar Farm

If you haven’t heard yet, Evergreen Packaging’s landfill in Canton, NC has been home to the largest solar farm in Western North Carolina since March.  FLS Energy, Progress Solar, Suniva and Evergreen Packaging are development partners for the innovative Evergreen Solar Farm that rests on top of the landfill.

WNC Magazine is currently featuring the Evergreen Solar Farm in their June issue.  Click here to read the article online or pick up an issue today!


First Light Solar – Residential Division

1st Annual Run for the Sun

On May 8th, First Light Solar hosted its first annual Run for the Sun 8K charity event at Carrier Park. The event was a great success with runners of all levels completing the course. The purpose of the event was to celebrate solar energy and raise awareness of renewable energy. Race proceeds were donated to the WNC Green Building Council who will use the funds to install a photovoltaic system for lighting and water pump station at the new Pearson Street Community Garden Project. “It’s really great to see a for-profit business stepping up to support the community and raise awareness of solar energy,” says Matt Siegel, director of the WNC Green Building Council.

Learn How Solar Energy Benefits the Environment & Your Wallet

First Light Solar presents The Economics of Solar (E.O.S) Info Session on Tuesday, June 29th at Earth Fare (Westgate) in the Community Room from 6-7 p.m.  Learn about the history, technology, applications and economies of solar energy. Drinks and appetizers will be provided. Bring your friends and join us for an evening of solar education! Please RSVP to events@flsenergy.com or call 828-350-3993.

First Light Solar welcomes Ben Edson

Ben is First Light’s newest addition.  Ben’s interest in solar energy began as a child growing up in a passive solar home.  He moved to Asheville in 1996 to attend Warren Wilson College.  He graduated with a degree in education and liked the area so much he decided to stay.  He feels First Light combines his lifelong interest in solar with his degree because he gets to educate the people he meets about the benefits of solar energy.

On May 8th, First Light Solar hosted its first annual Run for the Sun 8K charity event at Carrier Park. The event was a great success with runners of all levels completing the course. The purpose of the event was to celebrate solar energy and raise awareness of renewable energy. Race proceeds were donated to the WNC Green Building Council who will use the funds to install a photovoltaic system for lighting and water pump station at the new Pearson Street Community Garden Project. “It’s really great to see a for-profit business stepping up to support the community and raise awareness of solar energy,” says Matt Siegel, director of the WNC Green Building Council.


Learn How Solar Energy Benefits the Environment & Your Wallet:

First Light Solar presents The Economics of Solar (E.O.S) Info Session on Tuesday, June 29th at Earth Fare (Westgate) in the Community Room from 6-7 p.m.  Learn about the history, technology, applications and economies of solar energy. Drinks and appetizers will be provided. Bring your friends and join us for an evening of solar education! Please RSVP to events@flsenergy.com or call 828-350-3993.


First Light Solar welcomes new Sales Director, Ben Edson:

Ben is First Light’s newest addition.  Ben’s interest in solar energy began as a child growing up in a passive solar home.  He moved to Asheville in 1996 to attend Warren Wilson College.  He graduated with a degree in education and liked the area so much he decided to stay.  He feels First Light combines his lifelong interest in solar with his degree because he gets to educate the people he meets about the benefits of solar energy.

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2010.6.21 – Green Marines: Camp Lejeune Buys Into Solar Power

Posted June 22, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

On the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base in North Carolina, large, reflective rectangles line the rooftops of some of the homes. But they’re not some high-tech military gadget or even a satellite dish to get the latest TV channels: They’re solar panels for heating water.

So many of these panels have gone up in one neighborhood that the community is quickly becoming the largest in the continental U.S. to heat water with solar energy.

‘A Milestone’

An American flag flies from the porch of Sgt. Kirk Paulsen and his wife’s light brown house. The Paulsens live on the corner of a cul-de-sac where every home on the block has a 10-by-4 solar panel smack in the middle of the roof. The solar panel is a new addition to the Paulsen home. One they’re proud of.

“It’s kinda like a milestone in our history books for the Marine Corps, for the state of North Carolina and for the continental U.S.,” Paulsen says. “So I feel very proud of that — that we’re conserving it for our children’s children’s children.” Eventually solar panels will sit on top of 900 homes in this Camp Lejeune neighborhood.

How The Panels Work

Michael Shore, the president of FLS Energy — the company behind the solar panels — says they act like a greenhouse: They heat a fluid that runs down pipes inside the house and transfer the heat into a 40-gallon water tank with temperatures reaching 180 degrees.

Shore says solar hot water is one of the most cost-effective ways to generate energy.

“We have this myth in this country that renewable energy’s expensive,” Shore says. “And here, Camp Lejeune and the house company are saving money through solar [energy], so I think we are really in the midst of a shift in how our nation gets its energy.”

Shore says energy from the sun can heat three-quarters of the water used in a typical household. But Marines living on base don’t pay utility bills. So who’s saving money?

Camp Lejeune, sort of. FLS buys all of the solar panels and equipment and sells the hot water to the company that runs Camp Lejeune’s on-base housing.

FLS has done this before with populations of individuals who don’t have to foot the water bill themselves. It has tacked solar panels on top of hotels, college dorms, prisons — places that use a lot of hot water.

“So the military was the next, and maybe the best, frontier just because there is so much hot water that’s used on a base,” Shore says.

Branching Out

It’ll cost FLS $6 million to hook up all 900 homes on base to solar water heaters. For the average civilian homeowner the out-of-pocket cost can run as much as $7,000. Paulsen and his wife, Jamie, have only had their solar water heater for a few weeks. But they say so far, there have been no surprise cold showers.

“When we’re taking a shower and whatnot, the water is always nice and warm when we want a warm shower on a cold day,” Kirk Paulsen says. “There’s always warm water available.”

After conquering the Marines, FLS Energy has its sights on bringing solar water heaters to families in the other branches of the military.

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2010.03.05 – Suniva Announces Commissioning of Evergreen Solar Farm in North Carolina

Posted March 5, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

from AZOCleanTech.com: http://www.azocleantech.com/Details.asp?newsID=8977

Suniva, a leading solar cell and module manufacturer in the U.S., announced the commissioning of 555-kW Evergreen Solar Farm in North Carolina, with its partner FLS Energy. This project was constructed on a site that was formerly a landfill. The solar facility uses Suniva’s high-powered solar modules and was built through a 20-year power purchase contract from FLS Energy to provide renewable energy to Progress Energy’s customers in the region.

A local ceremony was held on March 1, 2010, when the project went live. The ceremony was attended by Congressman Health Shuler and after a press conference toured the facility. President of FLS Energy, Michael Shore, said that by using Suniva’s high-quality products enabled the company to provide cost-effective, highly-efficient solutions to its customers. Shore further said the modules in the facility are performing well demonstrating an outstanding combination of high-quality manufacturing and high-efficiency solar technology.

CEO of Suniva, John Baumstark, said the Evergreen Solar Farm project is a good example of the company’s importance in the fast-growing southeastern U.S renewable energy market. It also demonstrates the company’s capability to meet the increasing needs of its utility-scale customers, Baumstark said.

Source: www.suniva.com

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2010.03.04 – Solar PV Projects Generate New Value for Property That Once Was Trashed

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from sunpluggers.com: http://sunpluggers.com/states/north-carolina/2010/03/solar-projects-generate-new-value-for-property-that-was-trashed-000113.php

The nation’s closed landfills are continuing a trend of remarkable transformations into solar power plants.

In recent weeks, solar installations at landfills have been announced or have started generating electricity in Texas, Georgia, Arizona and Massachusetts. “Brownfields,” former industrial sites that may contain contaminants, also are being converted to produce solar power in several states.

Now, in North Carolina, a 555-kilowatt array, called the Evergreen Solar Farm, has gone online at the former landfill of Evergreen Packaging, a century-old paper-products company.

“The solar age has dawned,” said Michael Shore, chief executive of FLS Energy, which owns and operates the solar array. “FLS Energy converted an old landfill to an electricity generation facility, creating jobs and clean energy along the way,” he added, according to a news release.

The utility Progress Energy Carolinas is buying the solar plant’s generated electricity for distribution to its customers. The project includes a 20-year power-purchase agreement, which is similar to a lease. These agreements often do not require any up-front cost. They are commonly used by businesses and governments to obtain solar electricity and are available to homeowners in a limited number of leading solar states, with more on the way.

At the end of 2008, the state of North Carolina had a total of less than 5 megawatts of grid-tied solar-electric generating capacity. Progress Energy alone now has 11 solar megawatts in production or under contract in the state, including eight large-scale arrays and a number of small projects.

“We believe that solar power, along with energy efficiency and state-of-the-art power plants, will play an important part of a balanced approach to meeting the challenges of growing energy demand and global climate change,” said John Smith, vice president of the western region of Progress Energy Carolinas, in the news release.

The 2,340 solar modules, from Georgia-based Suniva Inc., are mounted atop concrete pads that do not penetrate the landfill’s 2-foot-deep soil cap. The concrete provides a counterweight to high winds.

Suniva produces monocrystalline silicon solar cells and modules, the type with the highest efficiency. With solar photovoltaics, higher efficiency means that more power can be generated in less space.

“The modules are performing extremely well, demonstrating a powerful combination of high-efficiency solar technology and high-quality U.S. manufacturing,” said Mr. Shore of FLS Energy.

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., spoke at a ceremony to mark the completion of the solar project.

“Sustainability and economic development can go hand-in-hand to provide solutions to climate change and the financial crisis,” he said. “I am proud to welcome the area’s first solar farm, and look forward to the impact it will have on creating jobs and sustaining our planet.”

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2010.03.04 – FLS Energy Solar Farm Goes Live with High-Performance Solar Modules from Suniva

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from BusinessWire: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100304005565&newsLang=en

Evergreen Solar Farm in North Carolina Powered by Suniva™ Technology

NORCROSS, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Suniva, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and modules, today announced the commissioning of the Evergreen Solar Farm in Canton, North Carolina, with partner FLS Energy. Set atop a former landfill, the 555 kW project utilizes high-powered Suniva solar modules and was constructed via a 20-year power purchase agreement from FLS Energy to supply clean energy to the region’s Progress Energy customers. The installation went live at a local ceremony on March 1st in which Congressman Health Shuler spoke at the press conference and toured the Evergreen Solar Farm.

“Utilizing Suniva’s technology allows FLS to retain our commitment to provide only the most efficient, cost-effective products and offer the best value for our customers,” said Michael Shore, President of FLS Energy. “The modules are performing extremely well, demonstrating a powerful combination of high-efficiency solar technology and high-quality U.S. manufacturing.”

“The Evergreen Solar Farm provides a shining example of Suniva’s prominence in the rapidly expanding renewable energy market of the southeastern U.S. and our ability to meet the growing needs of utility scale customers,” said John Baumstark, CEO of Suniva.

About Suniva

Based in Norcross, GA, Suniva® manufactures high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and high power solar modules with low-cost techniques in order to make solar-generated electricity cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Suniva leverages exclusive licenses to critical patents and patent-pending intellectual property developed by founder and CTO, Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi, at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research, which is funded by the Department of Energy. Led by an internationally regarded team of business executives and photovoltaic scientists, Suniva sells its advanced solar cells and modules Powered by Suniva™ worldwide, renewing U.S. leadership in the new energy economy. For additional information, please visit www.suniva.com.

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2010.03.03 – Tapping the power of the sun

Posted March 3, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

from Smokey Mountain News: http://www.smokymountainnews.com/issues/03_10/03_03_10/fr_power_sun.html

Tapping the power of the sun
By Becky Johnson • Staff writer

Progress Energy customers can now claim a fraction of their power comes from the sun.

A new solar farm is on line in Canton sporting 2,340 solar panels on four acres — generating enough electricity to power 51 homes. A new state law that mandates utilities get 12.5 percent of their power from renewable sources by the year 2021 was the catalyst for the solar farm.

“A project like this really starts with good policy,” said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy, which installed the solar field.

To help meet the renewable mandate, Progress Energy pledged to buy solar power from FLS at a set rate for the next 20 years.

While the solar field cost FLS $5 million up front to build, a sure-fire revenue stream in the form of a 20-year contract with Progress essentially guarantees a pay off down the line. Nonetheless, financing wasn’t easy, especially during an “economic calamity,” Shore said.

“Banks don’t have experience financing solar farms,” Shore said. “Even though we know we have a secure revenue stream backed up by Progress — what could be more secure? — we still had to get banks comfortable with it.”

Now that the ground has been plowed, Shore hopes subsequent projects will be easier. After 10 years, the debt will be paid off, and solar becomes quite profitable, Shore said.

“The lynchpin is you have to have somebody willing to buy the electricity,” Shore said.

And without the state legislation that forced utilities to invest in renewable energy, it is unclear whether a buyer would step up to the plate.

Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, said this was exactly what lawmakers had in mind when passing the renewable energy legislation three years ago.

“We wouldn’t have this project if we didn’t have those kinds of incentives. We wouldn’t be creating these jobs and moving toward an authentic alternative energy portfolio,” Queen said.

Progress now has 11 megawatts of solar power feeding its grid from solar farms across the state.

“This is a significant step in our balanced approach to bring clean, reliable and affordable power to the people across North Carolina,” said John Smith, Progress Energy’s vice president for the western region.

While this solar farm is only half a megawatt, add that to another half a dozen that have come on line in the past year, and it starts to add up, Shore said.

“This is just the beginning. When we stared this project two years ago, there were no solar farms in North Carolina. There were no solar farms in the Southeast,” Shore said.

The business of solar

Solar technology has long been considered cost prohibitive. But in the industry, it is finally reaching a critical mass.

As demand for solar grows, the technology gets better and cheaper. The cost of solar panels has come down 50 percent in three years. It’s similar to any electronics, from iPods to flat screen televisions, which come down in price the longer they are on the market, said Queen.

But in the meantime, the state has offered substantial tax incentives to spur solar development.

Apparently it worked, because soon those tax incentives won’t be needed anymore, according to Matt Card, director of business development for Suniva, which manufactures solar panels in Atlanta.

The cost of solar panels will continue to come down, while the cost of electricity continues to rise. Eventually, the industry will reach “grid parity.”

“At that point, it becomes just as cheap to build this as another power plant,” said Card.

As solar grows, so do associated jobs. FLS went from three to 50 employees in five years. The installation of the solar field in Canton provided full-time work for 15 of its staff for half a year.

The maker of the solar panels, an American company based in Atlanta, likewise is on the move. Suniva has gone from two to 150 employees in under three years. It plans to add another 75 manufacturing jobs this year to meet the skyrocketing demand for solar panels, Card said.

“There is a very tangible connection to job creation,” Card said.

It’s an industry where Haywood County is eager to make a name for itself.

“Hopefully it will be the beginning of other renewable energy projects in the future for our county,” said Mark Clasby, Haywood County economic development director.

In response to the solar farm, Haywood County passed an incentive package that gives alternative energy companies up to an 80 percent reduction in property taxes for investments made here.

Maintaining solar fields requires very little maintenance and no fuel costs like other power plants do. The panels just sit there soaking up the sun. They don’t even have to be cleaned, with that job left to the rain.

It’s unknown just how long they could last. They come with a warranty for 25 years, but could last twice as long.

Solar panels do wear out over time, degrading at about a quarter of a percent a year in their output. At the end of 25 years, they could be generating only 80 percent of what they were their first year, Shore said.

A ribbon cutting for the solar field was held this week. U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, commended Progress Energy for getting on board the renewable energy train and the state of North Carolina for its progressive energy policy.

“North Carolina has really taken the first steps in that and is much further along than most states are,” Shuler said.

Shuler said he hoped WNC could become a “national hub for green energy.”

Shore was an environmental lobbyist in Raleigh for years before becoming an entrepreneur and starting his own solar company. For him, seeing the solar field up and running was emotionally moving.

“For years there was always the promise of renewable energy, but there was something standing in the way of making it happen,” Shore said. [Now,] “it’s powering real houses, and there’s a real business case behind it.”

A new solar farm is on line in Canton sporting 2,340 solar panels on four acres — generating enough electricity to power 51 homes. A new state law that mandates utilities get 12.5 percent of their power from renewable sources by the year 2021 was the catalyst for the solar farm.

“A project like this really starts with good policy,” said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy, which installed the solar field.

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2010.1.11 – Large rooftop solar power array begins operation on Cary shopping center

Posted January 13, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

from dBusinessNews.com

Project is part of Progress Energy’s SunSense Commercial Solar PV Program

RALEIGH – Customers shopping at the Mayfair Plaza Shopping Center in Cary, N.C., will now be walking underneath one of the state’s largest rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays.  FLS Energy, Inc. built the new 250-kilowatt (kW) solar PV array for the center’s owner, who is selling the entire output to Progress Energy for use by its customers. The shopping center is located at the intersection of Kildaire Farm and Maynard roads in Cary, and the PV array is installed on the rooftop of the Food Lion grocery store.

This solar PV project is made possible by Progress Energy Carolinas’ SunSense commercial solar PV program, designed to encourage the development of renewable energy by offering a premium price for solar power developed on commercial rooftops. In 2009, Progress Energy accepted proposals for a total of more than 2,000 kW under this program.

“We created the SunSense commercial solar PV program because we want to encourage a wide range of businesses to develop renewable energy resources across our communities,” said Lloyd Yates, president and chief executive officer of Progress Energy Carolinas. “Rooftop solar power will play an important role in a balanced approach to meeting the growing energy demands of our customers.”

The Cary solar PV array, which began operation on Dec. 22, 2009, is expected to generate approximately 325,000 kilowatt-hours this year. This is roughly the equivalent of the annual energy demand of 22 typical homes. The PV array will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 230 tons, which is equivalent to drivers conserving 26,000 gallons of gasoline.

“We are thrilled to be associated with FLS Energy, Inc. and Progress Energy on the development and use of the rooftop solar PV array at Mayfair Plaza Shopping Center and see this as a step forward in the expanded use of renewable energy to meet the energy needs of the people of North Carolina,” said North Carolina developer Frank Floyd Jr., who owns the Mayfair Plaza Shopping Center.

FLS Energy, a solar energy generation company headquartered in North Carolina, began installation of the 1,035 high-efficiency Suniva modules early in November. The company is also working with Progress Energy to build a 550-kW solar PV array in western North Carolina. For more information on the Cary solar PV project, or other FLS Energy projects, please visit www.flsenergy.com.

“Frank Floyd is to be commended,” said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy.  “He is ushering in the movement to install solar energy systems on the endless miles of flat rooftop spaces found on retail centers throughout the Carolinas.”

About Progress Energy
Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN), headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 500 energy company with more than 22,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. Progress Energy includes two major electric utilities that serve approximately 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company has earned the Edison Electric Institute’s Edison Award, the industry’s highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence, and was the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder’s Award for customer service. The company is pursuing a balanced strategy for a secure energy future, which includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system.  Progress Energy celebrated a century of service in 2008. Visit the company’s Web site at www.progress-energy.com.

About FLS Energy
FLS Energy (www.flsenergy.com) is a solar energy generation company based North Carolina. FLS Energy engineers, installs and finances solar energy projects. FLS Energy is among the most experienced and fastest growing solar companies in the Southeast, tripling in size within the last year.

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2009.12.29 – Review of the Top 10 Stories of 2009; #7: Going Green

Posted January 5, 2010 By admin and has no comments yet.

excerpt from: The Mountaineer, Written by Kim Gardner

For Haywood County, 2009 was a green year.

The year started with the county commissioners approving the county’s first sustainability plan. The plan, available online at the county’s Web site, outlines ways Haywood County can be a sustainable community. ….

In Canton, the county’s first solar farm was constructed. FLS Energy, based in [Asheville], began constructing its 3-acre solar field in Canton in September. It is located at an old landfill no longer in use by Evergreen Packaging.

Constructed in phases, the field will ultimately produce 550 kilowatts to sell to Progress Energy, said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy.

“The project has been a great success,” Shore said in mid-December. “It is being developed in six phases. Phases 1 to 3 are already delivering electricity to the grid. Phase 4 and 5 should be online before the end of the year.”

The $5 million project does not just provide clean energy. It has created jobs and infused money into local economies, Shore said in September. 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 in September.

The project has created 45 jobs in the area, and Shore said the company is still hiring. ….

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2009.12.17 – Solar company opens office in Hillsborough

Posted December 21, 2009 By admin and has no comments yet.

FLS Energy, an Asheville-based solar-energy company has chosen Hillsborough as the location of its first office outside of Western North Carolina. The company provides renewable-energy planning, design and installation services from small solar hot-water installations to utility-scale solar farms. Chris Wachholz, a member of FLS’ Business Development division, is a longtime Orange County resident who has been charged with opening the Hillsborough office. He said the company chose Hillsborough because of local support for solar power. The Orange County-based office will serve FLS’ growing list of projects in Research Triangle Park, the Piedmont Triad and the Eastern North Carolina area, including a large 1.2-megawatt solar array being installed at the SAS campus in Cary, as well as retail retrofits and solar installations for the military and area universities. The office, which opened on Dec. 1, is located in Hillsborough’s Summit Business Campus.

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2009.12.14 – FLS Energy opens new Hillsborough office

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By Ben Gellman
WCHL Reporter

Solar power is pushing into Orange County, as an Asheville-based solar energy company has opened a new office in Hillsborough.  Dottie Schmitt of Orange County Economic Development says FLS Energy was expanding, and wanted to prop up their outer reaches.

FLS tapped Chris Wachholz, a member of the company’s division of business development, to open the new office in Hillsborough.  A press release describes Wachholz as a “long-time Orange County resident.”

FLS currently has projects around the Research Triangle, the Piedmont Triad and Eastern North Carolina. 

 While most of those projects aren’t in Orange County, Schmitt says there’s room for optimism about the solar energy market, and money could flow into the county.

Schmitt says FLS Energy has not stated how many people they are looking to hire in Orange County. The Hillsborough office opened December 1.

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