WHITE OAK PASTURES FEATURES SOUTHEAST’S LARGEST SOLAR BARN; LOWERS ENERGY COSTS BY 30 PERCENT FOR ENTIRE FARM
Georgia Farmer Will Harris Invests in Sustainable Technology and Raises Awareness of Solar Power
White Oak Pastures Owner and Georgia Organics President Will Harris is proud to announce that Hannah Solar, an Atlanta-based solar and renewable energy firm, has installed the largest solar barn in the Southeast at his farm. The 50-kilowatt installation at White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Ga., will save Harris 30 percent in energy costs for his entire farm. White Oak Pastures is one of only two on-farm USDA-inspected grass-fed beef plants in the country.
“Installing this solar barn simply made sense,” said Harris. “I teamed up with Hannah Solar because they shared my vision; while I am interested in the bottom line and in cutting my own energy and operating costs, I am also committed to being an environmental steward and investing in sustainable technologies.”
The solar barn is Harris second project with Hannah Solar; the first being a solar thermal system the largest in Georgia at the time which provides hot water for sanitation and equipment wash down. The solar barn includes a $323,000 photovoltaic installation consisting of 225-watt Siliken panels that will provide power to Harris farm and beef processing facility.
“Georgia continues to lag behind other Southeastern states in the number of solar installations and incentives available,” said Pete Marte, president of Hannah Solar. “Clients like Will Harris and White Oak Pastures will raise the profile of the benefits of solar power in our state. The long-term benefit of being able to use power generated on site has great benefits and we can provide farmers an opportunity to harvest a new crop, the sun.”
With the signing of House Bill 1069 by Governor Sonny Perdue on June 4, 2010, a bill that provides clean energy tax credits for equipment that reduces usage of energy or water, Hannah Solar can now connect the barn to the power grid, and Harris will benefit from the on-site electric generation immediately. Between 65 to 90 percent of the total cost of the barn, once connected and in use, will come back to Harris in the first year. In addition to designing and installing the system, Hannah Solar helped Harris obtain a USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant to fund the project and completed buy-back agreements with the local EMC.
About White Oak Pastures
White Oak Pastures is a family-owned and operated grassfed beef producer that is committed to the principles of animal welfare, sustainability, and stewardship. The five-generation farm has raised cattle continuously on the same land in Early County, Georgia, for more than 140 years. White Oak Pastures beef can be purchased at more than 200 Publix supermarkets throughout the Southeast and at Whole Foods Market locations from Miami, Florida to Princeton, New Jersey. The beef is distributed by Destiny Organics, Tree of Life and Buckhead Beef gourmet beef distributors (a division of Sysco Foods). White Oak Pastures is located at 22775 Highway 27 in Bluffton, Georgia. For more information, call (229) 641-2081 or visit www.whiteoakpastures.com.
About Hannah Solar
Hannah Solar is an Atlanta-based solar developer providing engineering, procurement and construction services to businesses committed to helping meet sustainability goals on a corporate or personal level by creating individualized renewable energy solutions. Founded by Pete Marte, Hannah Solar focuses on raising the profile of solar power in the Southeast. Hannah Solar is now one of Georgia’s fastest-growing turnkey providers of solar power systems, providing solutions that include photovoltaic and solar thermal systems, designed and installed to capture and convert sunlight into clean, renewable energy.
For more information please contact McCall Mastroianni at Melissa Libby & Associates, 404-816-3068, mccall@melissalibbypr.com.
And from Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery in Sonoma County California –
REDWOOD HILL FARM & CREAMERY BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON 586 KW DC SOLAR PROJECT
Goat milk products company is installing one of the largest solar systems in Sonoma County
Entrepreneur and pioneer cheesemaker Jennifer Lynn Bice has been concerned with the carbon footprint used to distribute her natural goat milk products to customers around the country who want them. “Because fewer people consume goat milk products as compared to cow dairy, it is important for us to have a wider geographic area of distribution to be able to do what we love and be a viable business” explains Bice, owner of the 42 year old Sebastopol business. “By installing our solar system we will offset in a much greater percentage the transportation costs of distributing our goat milk, cheese, yogurt and kefir. This is very important to us.”
Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery has hired local firm “One Sun” to design and install the 586 kW DC solar system which will use 2,548 Silikin 230 kW solar modules, made in California for Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery. For the design, One Sun has selected the highest quality components in the industry ranging from PV Powered 260 kW inverters with a 10-year warranty to the redundant disconnects allowing maximum flexibility and accessibiliy to shut off portions of the array if needed.
When complete this fall, the project will encompass nearly 2 acres of roof space and is calculated to produce 810,840 kWh offsetting 100% of the projected energy needs of the creamery. The CO2 reduced annually is equal to 110 acres of trees saved, 54 cars off the road or 76 homes powered.
A local Sonoma County Business, One Sun has designed and/or installed large photovoltaic systems around the Bay Area and Northern California. They currently have 25 employees set to work on three new projects, including the Redwood Hill Farm creamery. Redwood Hill Farm’s local commercial banking partner, Exchange Bank, will be financing the project.
Redwood Hill Farm is a family farm that has been producing fine quality goat cheese, milk, yogurt, and kefir in Sebastopol for over 35 years. Sustainably farmed since 1968, protecting the environment and agricultural open space has been a constant focus and commitment for Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery.
Redwood Hill’s yogurt and kefir is widely available nationally through natural foods grocery stores, coops and independent retail outlets while it’s artisan cheeses are available in fine specialty stores and cheese counters throughout California, Oregon, Washington and in various cities in the Midwest and East. Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery also ships cheese directly to restaurants and individuals throughout the country.
For more information please contact Sharon Bice, 707.823.8250, sharon@redwoodhill.com
Certified Humane® Producers Go Green
Posted: August 10, 2010 by Certified Humane
WHITE OAK PASTURES FEATURES SOUTHEAST’S LARGEST SOLAR BARN; LOWERS ENERGY COSTS BY 30 PERCENT FOR ENTIRE FARM
White Oak Pastures Owner and Georgia Organics President Will Harris is proud to announce that Hannah Solar, an Atlanta-based solar and renewable energy firm, has installed the largest solar barn in the Southeast at his farm. The 50-kilowatt installation at White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Ga., will save Harris 30 percent in energy costs for his entire farm. White Oak Pastures is one of only two on-farm USDA-inspected grass-fed beef plants in the country.
“Installing this solar barn simply made sense,” said Harris. “I teamed up with Hannah Solar because they shared my vision; while I am interested in the bottom line and in cutting my own energy and operating costs, I am also committed to being an environmental steward and investing in sustainable technologies.”
The solar barn is Harris second project with Hannah Solar; the first being a solar thermal system the largest in Georgia at the time which provides hot water for sanitation and equipment wash down. The solar barn includes a $323,000 photovoltaic installation consisting of 225-watt Siliken panels that will provide power to Harris farm and beef processing facility.
“Georgia continues to lag behind other Southeastern states in the number of solar installations and incentives available,” said Pete Marte, president of Hannah Solar. “Clients like Will Harris and White Oak Pastures will raise the profile of the benefits of solar power in our state. The long-term benefit of being able to use power generated on site has great benefits and we can provide farmers an opportunity to harvest a new crop, the sun.”
With the signing of House Bill 1069 by Governor Sonny Perdue on June 4, 2010, a bill that provides clean energy tax credits for equipment that reduces usage of energy or water, Hannah Solar can now connect the barn to the power grid, and Harris will benefit from the on-site electric generation immediately. Between 65 to 90 percent of the total cost of the barn, once connected and in use, will come back to Harris in the first year. In addition to designing and installing the system, Hannah Solar helped Harris obtain a USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant to fund the project and completed buy-back agreements with the local EMC.
About White Oak Pastures
White Oak Pastures is a family-owned and operated grassfed beef producer that is committed to the principles of animal welfare, sustainability, and stewardship. The five-generation farm has raised cattle continuously on the same land in Early County, Georgia, for more than 140 years. White Oak Pastures beef can be purchased at more than 200 Publix supermarkets throughout the Southeast and at Whole Foods Market locations from Miami, Florida to Princeton, New Jersey. The beef is distributed by Destiny Organics, Tree of Life and Buckhead Beef gourmet beef distributors (a division of Sysco Foods). White Oak Pastures is located at 22775 Highway 27 in Bluffton, Georgia. For more information, call (229) 641-2081 or visit www.whiteoakpastures.com.
About Hannah Solar
Hannah Solar is an Atlanta-based solar developer providing engineering, procurement and construction services to businesses committed to helping meet sustainability goals on a corporate or personal level by creating individualized renewable energy solutions. Founded by Pete Marte, Hannah Solar focuses on raising the profile of solar power in the Southeast. Hannah Solar is now one of Georgia’s fastest-growing turnkey providers of solar power systems, providing solutions that include photovoltaic and solar thermal systems, designed and installed to capture and convert sunlight into clean, renewable energy.
For more information please contact McCall Mastroianni at Melissa Libby & Associates, 404-816-3068, mccall@melissalibbypr.com.
And from Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery in Sonoma County California –
REDWOOD HILL FARM & CREAMERY BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON 586 KW DC SOLAR PROJECT
Entrepreneur and pioneer cheesemaker Jennifer Lynn Bice has been concerned with the carbon footprint used to distribute her natural goat milk products to customers around the country who want them. “Because fewer people consume goat milk products as compared to cow dairy, it is important for us to have a wider geographic area of distribution to be able to do what we love and be a viable business” explains Bice, owner of the 42 year old Sebastopol business. “By installing our solar system we will offset in a much greater percentage the transportation costs of distributing our goat milk, cheese, yogurt and kefir. This is very important to us.”
Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery has hired local firm “One Sun” to design and install the 586 kW DC solar system which will use 2,548 Silikin 230 kW solar modules, made in California for Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery. For the design, One Sun has selected the highest quality components in the industry ranging from PV Powered 260 kW inverters with a 10-year warranty to the redundant disconnects allowing maximum flexibility and accessibiliy to shut off portions of the array if needed.
When complete this fall, the project will encompass nearly 2 acres of roof space and is calculated to produce 810,840 kWh offsetting 100% of the projected energy needs of the creamery. The CO2 reduced annually is equal to 110 acres of trees saved, 54 cars off the road or 76 homes powered.
A local Sonoma County Business, One Sun has designed and/or installed large photovoltaic systems around the Bay Area and Northern California. They currently have 25 employees set to work on three new projects, including the Redwood Hill Farm creamery. Redwood Hill Farm’s local commercial banking partner, Exchange Bank, will be financing the project.
Redwood Hill Farm is a family farm that has been producing fine quality goat cheese, milk, yogurt, and kefir in Sebastopol for over 35 years. Sustainably farmed since 1968, protecting the environment and agricultural open space has been a constant focus and commitment for Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery.
Redwood Hill’s yogurt and kefir is widely available nationally through natural foods grocery stores, coops and independent retail outlets while it’s artisan cheeses are available in fine specialty stores and cheese counters throughout California, Oregon, Washington and in various cities in the Midwest and East. Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery also ships cheese directly to restaurants and individuals throughout the country.
For more information please contact Sharon Bice, 707.823.8250, sharon@redwoodhill.com
Category: news