Renu Energy Solutions has completed a solar installation on the Wild Hope Farm, a USDA-certified organic vegetable and flower farm based in Chester, South Carolina.
The farm uses regenerative agricultural practices and the addition of the 20.15 kW installation by Renu adds to its efforts towards more sustainable practices.
Renu Energy Solutions has installed a 14.625 kW greenhouse array comprising 45 REC panels on the greenhouse/shed at the farm and a 5.525 kW array consisting of 17 REC panels on the farmhouse. Together, the installations will supply an estimated 26,000 kWh of energy annually.
Combined with the previous 15.34 kW PV installation by Alder Energy in 2017, the total size of the arrays is 35.49 kW. All the arrays will help the farm offset over 90% of the total energy consumed at the greenhouse/shed and farmhouse buildings of the Wild Hope Farm.
Wild Hope Farm’s sustainability efforts include the transformation of its invasive grass pastures on the back acres and wooded areas of the property into native prairies. The farm is undertaking this restoration project to create a habitat for imperilled bird, rabbit, and pollinator species.
“With intentional planning of our land and infrastructure, the Wild Hope Farm team aims to use zero net energy in our farm operations area within the next few years,” said Katherine Belk, Operations Manager at Wild Hope Farm. “From our conservation growing practices to our 35.49 kilowatt solar PV array, to our passive solar greenhouses, we are always thinking about new ideas for conserving and producing energy on the farm.”
