Residents in Arkansas have been increasing their adoption of solar power, and one new project is now bringing solar to the commercial side, Solar Power World reported.
A large solar project in Ashley County, called Amazon Solar Farm Arkansas — Prairie Mist, is fully operational and delivering solar energy to the online retail giant's facility there. It's part of Amazon's commitment to reach net-zero carbon pollution by 2040; the corporation has already announced over 600 solar and wind projects globally.
Projects such as these generally include numerous stakeholders and participants, and the Prairie Mist site is no exception. It was developed by Primergy Solar, which contracted with utility-scale solar builder Primoris Renewable Energy to build the 100-megawatt facility. Now that the facility is complete, it will use utility provider Entergy's transmission system to deliver its power to the surrounding area, energizing the equivalent of 22,000 homes per year.
|
If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Energy independence âš¡ The benefits to the local area are both short- and long-term. The Prairie Mist site created approximately 200 construction jobs, and it's expected to contribute roughly $10 million in tax benefits for Ashley County over the course of its operating life. Additionally, Primergy is building an accessible playground and a shade structure at a local high school in order to show its commitment to improving life for the community at large.
Solar farms have also been found to benefit the plants — and even animals —- sharing their land in the newly coined agrivoltaics model by offering needed shade, providing even more reasons to approve future projects.
In a statement, Primergy CEO Ty Daul emphasized the company's commitment to serving communities by delivering clean energy.
"Prairie Mist represents a step forward in our mission to develop impactful projects that benefit local communities and meet the diverse needs of our customers," Daul said. "Reaching commercial operation is a monumental milestone for our team, and we are thankful to our partners for their support and dedication to bringing clean energy to the Arkansas region."
If you're interested in solar for your home — or community-powered solar for your apartment, if you can't install your own panels — take a look at TCD's money-saving guides.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
