Solar Panel Subscription Presented to Expo Center by AEC

AEC Member Services Director Mitch Cain presents WSCC President Dr. Tony Miksa (center) with a symbolic solar panel as Great Smoky Mountain Expo Center Assistant Director Michael Hasty looks on. The Expo Center will be receiving a monthly electric bill credits for the next 20 years as a result of a gift from the Co-op: the generation output of four panels at AEC’s new Community Solar facility in New Market.

Gift-giving season may be just around the corner, but the folks at the Co-op are starting early.

Appalachian Electric Cooperative has conveyed the generation of four solar panels from the utility’s new 1.3 megawatt community solar facility in New Market to the Walters State Great Smoky Mountains Expo Center in White Pine.

Mitch Cain, member services director for the Co-op, said the gift is given in recognition of the commitment to renewable energy shared by the college and AEC. The subscription will provide more than 16,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy over a 20-year contract period.

“In addition to the solar credits applied to the Expo Center’s monthly bill, this generation will contribute to the local power grid and the benefits will last for decades. This comes to the college without cost,” Cain said.

Cain said this gift also recognizes the Expo Center’s role in contributing to the local economy and community. The Expo Center opened in 1996 and attracts tens of thousands of people to the area each year. The center is a significant force in the economic vitality of the area, Cain said.

“One of the principles of the cooperative business model is ‘concern for community.’ Sustainable development supported by renewable energy is a great fit in terms of what we’re all about,” said Cain.

“Walters State is very grateful for this unique and generous gift,” said Dr. Tony Miksa, president of Walters State. “This represents more than a financial gift and cost savings for us. The fact that Appalachian Electric Cooperative is now offering solar energy to consumers also reinforces the value of one of the college’s pioneering programs – clean energy technology,” said Miksa.

The college was one of the first community colleges in the country to offer an associate of applied science in clean energy technology. The college also offers clean energy certificate programs in electricity technology, transportation technology and building technology. Students may also earn a certificate in clean energy technology.

Plans call for the solar facility to be interconnected to the grid by mid-December. Co-op Community Solar is expected to generate more than 1.8 million kilowatt-hours annually. Based on average kWh use by AEC’s residential members, it will produce enough clean, renewable energy to supply all the power needs of approximately 130 homes for an entire year.

Cain said there are a variety of ways that Cooperative members can participate in the program. Those who obtain electric service from AEC can Subscribe to Co-op Community Solar; for a one-time up-front cost of $125 per panel, individuals can reap the benefits of solar generation without having to install a solar array on their property. They can also Support Solar; by making a contribution to the program, donors can help ensure the future viability of renewable energy resources. Through Share Solar, participants can gift the subscription of solar generation to any AEC member or any nonprofit organization, church, or educational institution served by the Cooperative.

“This is a perfect time to sign up,” said Cain. “By making the decision to participate before the end of 2016, folks can receive the maximum number of monthly solar generation bill credits. A Share Solar subscription in honor or in memory of someone is a meaningful gift that conveys a lasting legacy of respect for the environment.”

For more information, contact the Cooperative at extension 1175.