Project Spotlights
Energy System: Electric Milk Chiller System
Installation Year: 2020
Annual Savings: $2,000
Ross Diary Farm
Electric Milk Chiller System
in Waynesville, NC
Ralph Ross and Sons Dairy, is a 3rd generation family farm in Waynesville, NC, currently milking 400 Holstein and Jersey crosses. In 2020, their milk buyer and current USDA regulations required they upgrade their milk chilling system. Ross Dairy Farm decided to upgrade to an energy efficient system moving from propane as the energy source to electricity. “Not only is our system more energy efficient, we are able to use the hot water it generates from chilling our milk to clean our milk room and sanitize our equipment.”
In 2020, with the help of the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and its AgEnergy Grant, NCDA ADFP Energy Grant, USDA REAP Grant and EnergyCAP REAP Application assistance, they were able to purchase and install the new system to keep the farm current in regulations and save on annual energy costs.
Congrats Ross Dairy Farm!
Gaining Ground Farm
Grid-tied Solar PV System
in Leicester, NC
Gaining Ground Farm is located in Leicester, NC on 70 acres of family farm land. We are Aaron and Anne Grier. “The farm is home to a heard of Red Devon cattle, a Jersey milk cow, a flock of chickens, and several acres of vegetable-growing bottom-land. We strive to produce food that is healthier for all of us, raised in a manner easier on the environment.”
In 2020, with the help of the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and its AgEnergy grant, NCDA ADFP Energy Grant, USDA REAP Grant, and Duke Energy Rebate, Gaining Ground Farm installed an 10.73 KW Solar PV system. The farm would not have been able to afford to put the system up without the grants and rebates. “EnergyCAP made all of it possible from writing our REAP Grant to supportive funding. The farm would not be powering its operations with renewable energy without that support. The system has been running for over a month now and the farm’s power bill is significantly lower! Overall it’s been great, but has been a long process that without support from EnergyCAP and Sugar Hollow Solar we would not have been able to.”
Congrats Gaining Ground Farm!
Energy System: 10.73KW Grid-tied Solar PV System
Installation Year: 2020
Annual Savings: $1,500
Against the Grain Farm
Grid-tied Solar PV System and Walk-in Cooler Upgrade
in Zionville, NC
Against the Grain is a 35 acre diversified farm located 15 minutes from downtown Boone, NC in the community of Zionville. The farm raises a broad spectrum of certified Biodynamic and Organic vegetables on about 2 acres of crop land and pasture-raised, GMO-free, Animal Welfare Approved meats on the remaining pastures, woodlots and hay fields.
In 2020, with the help of the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and its AgEnergy grant, NCDA ADFP Energy Grant, and an USDA REAP Grant, Against the Grain installed 16.8KW Solar PV system on their pack shed roof and did an energy efficiency upgrade to their walk-in cooler. The cooler upgrade included insulation, plastic door curtain, insulated flooring, ceiling, floor, and walls in order to offset our energy costs and overall farm carbon footprint. Installation was complete on October 2020.
CONGRATS AGAINST THE GRAIN FARM!
Energy System: 16.80 KW Grid-tied Solar PV System and Walk-in Cooler Upgrade
Installation Year: 2020
Average Annual Savings: $2,500-3,000
Haze Gray Vineyards
SOLAR PROJECT
in Dobson, NC
Haze Gray Vineyards is a 85-acre family farm in Dobson, NC, founded in 2015. In May 2015 the first five acres of grapes were planted. In April 2016 the second phase of the vineyard was planted with an additional four acres. The vineyard produced a small harvest in 2017. In August 2018 the winery was completed, and Haze Gray Vineyards was producing our first estate wines. Their Tasting Room was officially opened in December 2019.
In 2019 -2020, Haze Gray Vineyard constructed a 11.1 Kw photovoltaic solar system with help from NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and its AgEnergy grant, USDA Rural REAP grant funds, and a Duke Energy Rebate. Their solar pv system powers the vineyards tasting room.
CONGRATS HAZE GRAY VINEYARDS!
Energy System: 11.1 KW Grid-tied Solar PV System
Installation Year: 2019-20
Average Annual Savings: $2,901
Energy System: Temperature Controlled Coolbot Walk-In Cooler
Installation Year: 2020
Average Annual Savings: $500
CAMPBELL’S BERRY FARM
COOLER UPGRADE
in Bethlehem, NC
Campbell's Berry Farm was established in August, 2015 by husband and wife team, Tracy and Holly Campbell. They have a 10 acres currently in production, seven acres of Rabbit-Eye Blueberries and three acres in a variety of vegetable and flower crops. There are currently 2700 blueberry bushes in production and U-Pick blueberry farm. Campbells also sells pre-picked blueberries and strategically produce a large variety of vegetables and cut flowers that are ready for harvest during the 8 week blueberry production season. They have an on-site 500 square foot farm stand where they market their products, as well as marketing at a farmer's market and a local curb site. In addition, they wholesale to another local farmer for CSA boxes and donate food vouchers and fruit and vegetable production to two local food banks.
In 2020 with the help of the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and its AgEnergy grant and an NCDA ADFP Energy Grant Campbell Berry Farm installed a 24,000 BTU split air conditioning system with a CoolBot Pro interactive refrigeration system and a plastic cooler door curtain to support their production increase of 75% from their 2018 to our 2019 season and to prolong the shelf life of their blueberries, vegetables and flowers.
CONGRATS CAMPBELL’S BERRY FARM!
Thatchmore Farm SolaR Project
in Leicester, NC
Thatchmore Farm is a USDA Certified Organic ten-acre family farm in Leicester, NC, founded in 1987. They supply produce to local farmers markets and through their Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Thatchmore Farms utilizes renewable energy to produce their farm products throughout the entire year.
In 2019, Thatchmore Farm constructed a 7.9 Kw photovoltaic solar system with help from our energyCAP Tobacco Trust Fund grant, USDA Rural Development REAP application assistance, and REAP grant funds. Their solar pv system powers greenhouse fans, pumps, a wood-pellet boiler system, walk-in cooler, and miscellaneous farm energy uses. Thatchmore Farm was able to stack four subsidies for their PV system: Duke Energy Rebate, energyCAP Grant, REAP, and Federal Tax Credit.
As a result of this solar pv project, Thatchmore Farm is now fully operating on renewable energy! Their expected initial annual savings is $1,100. Through higher farm productivity, they hope to increase their yearly farm net income by $10,000. Their residence (separate from the farm) is also powered by renewable solar energy with grant dollars funded by Mountain Valleys RC&D in 2009.
Congratulations Thatchmore Farm!
Energy System: 7.9 Kw Photovoltaic Solar System
Installation Year: 2019
Average Annual Savings: $1,100
Previous grants:
Mountain Valleys’ PV Array $10,000, completed in 2009
TVA Greenhouse Energy Efficiency Grant $5,917, completed in 2016
Energy System: 9.8 KW Grid-tied Solar PV System
Installation Year: 2019
Average Annual Savings: $1,300
Solesbee Farm Solar Project
in Hayesville, NC
Solesbee Farm raises season-extended vegetables in a heated greenhouse, as well as goats, with plans to expand into eggs and honey. The farm sells its products in its family store in Hiawassee, GA.
In 2019, with the help of the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and its AgEnergy grant, the farm was able to install a solar PV system that will generate $1,300 in annual savings on the energy they use to power their greenhouse heat, farm shop, and irrigation lines. The electricity from the solar panels is connected to the utility grid under a “net metering” agreement, meaning that the energy produced is first utilized on-site, while the excess is “stored” and credited by the electric company during times of no sunshine.
Congratulations Solesbee Farm!
Other Completed Projects
improving farm and small business energy use across wnc
The map above shows only a few of the dozens of WNC farms and small businesses that have participated in our cost-share grant programs. From solar photovoltaic systems to innovative greenhouse heating projects to lighting and insulation upgrades, the projects we have assisted are saving WNC farms and small businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual energy expense.