Renu Energy Solutions supports Wild Hope Farm’s journey to net zero with new solar installations
June 3, 2022
Two new solar arrays, composed of 62 panels, will increase Wild Hope Farm’s clean energy generation capacity and support their net zero energy goals
Renu Energy Solutions, a locally-owned and operated solar installer in North Carolina and South Carolina, today announced the details of a new commercial solar installation at Wild Hope Farm, a USDA-certified organic vegetable and flower farm focused on regenerative agriculture based in Chester, SC.
The Renu Energy Solutions team installed two separate solar arrays on the greenhouse/shed and farmhouse at Wild Hope Farm. The greenhouse array is 14.625 kW, composed of 45 REC panels while the farmhouse array is 5.525 kW, composed of 17 REC panels. In total, the 20.15 kW installed by Renu across the two systems at Wild Hope Farm will provide an estimated 26,000 kWh of energy annually.
Along with Renu’s installations, an additional 15.34 kW was installed across the greenhouse and farmhouse roofs by Alder Energy in 2017. This brings the total size of these arrays to 35.49 kW. In combination, the PV systems installed by Renu and Alder will offset more than 90% of the total energy consumed by the Wild Hope Farm greenhouse/shed and farmhouse buildings.
These new installations are the latest effort within Wild Hope Farm’s broader mission to incorporate renewable energy technologies and sustainability practices into their operations and facilities. Clean energy generated by the solar arrays the Renu team has installed will be essential in the Farm’s efforts to achieve net-zero energy consumption.
“Renu and Wild Hope Farm share a common vision to care for our local community through sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Matthew Culley, Senior Consultant at Renu Energy Solutions. “We are honored to be the installation partner for these solar arrays, and proud to partner with Wild Hope Farm in their goal to achieve Zero Net Energy on the farm.”
Wild Hope Farm’s sustainability focus reaches beyond its growing fields and solar installations, extending to the back acres and wooded areas of the property where the team is transforming invasive grass pastures into native prairies. Through this restoration project, Wild Hope Farm is creating a habitat for imperiled 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.”
As Renu and Wild Hope Farm continue their collaborative efforts to promote sustainable solutions in the local community, Renu will also serve as a sponsor for the Farm’s 2022 Music Fest, taking place on June 4.
“We’re a small team with big ambitions and are very proud to share the evolution of our progress with the community and other local organizations like Renu,” continued Belk. “Following the completion of these new solar installations, we’re especially proud to have Renu as a sponsor for this year’s Music Fest, where we promote education, exploration, and celebration centered around nature.”
About Renu Energy Solutions
Renu Energy Solutions is a locally-owned and operated solar installer, with projects across both North Carolina and South Carolina. To date, Renu has completed over 4,500 high-quality solar energy installations. Every Renu installation is more than just a clean energy system, it’s also a tool to empower home and business owners to take charge of their energy future. To learn more, please visit: https://renuenergysolutions.com/
About Wild Hope Farm
At Wild Hope Farm, we are passionate about bringing high-quality, USDA Certified Organic produce into our local communities through a sustainable farming approach. We are growing on 13 acres of diverse vegetable, flower, herb and fruit production. We seek to share our knowledge and optimized growing systems with the greater farming community. To learn more, please visit: https://www.wildhopefarm.com/.
