With a U.S. headquarters in Charlottesville, Virginia, Enerfin Renewables is actively developing wind and solar projects across the United States. We provide full service project development from greenfield prospecting and early-stage acquisitions, through construction and long-term ownership and operations. 

Enerfin has over 25 years of experience in renewable energy and is involved in producing 1,350 MW around the world. Through our wind and solar projects, we provide clean energy to over 1.5 million homes. Enerfin is backed by Elecnor Group, a publicly traded infrastructure company with over 60 years of continuous growth.

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Please visit our website for more information: enerfinrenewables.com

The demand for solar power has risen over the past few years because it is a clean and abundant source of energy that is readily available across the United States. There is enough solar capacity in the U.S. to power more than 12.8 million homes. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. can meet 40% of its electricity needs by 2035 with solar power. Additionally, solar panels are easy to install, require little maintenance, and can provide significant cost savings over time. 

Solar panels work by capturing the sun's energy and converting it into electricity. The panels are made up of photovoltaic cells, which absorb the energy from the sun and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. This electricity is then converted into alternating current (AC) electricity that can be used to power homes and businesses.

No, solar panels are completely silent. However, transportation and maintenance equipment—including cars, trucks, lawnmowers, and string trimmers—are a common source of noise on solar farms that most people are used to hearing elsewhere. 

On the contrary, solar farms can help to reduce electricity bills by generating clean energy that is typically cheaper than traditional fossil-fuel based power. In many cases, solar farms can actually produce more energy than is needed, allowing excess energy to be stored for later use. Solar power is particularly effective in lowering costs during a summer afternoon when energy demand is highest.    

The power from Mantle Rock Solar will be delivered to the local electrical grid, helping to diversify Kentucky's energy portfolio. This energy pool supplies all Kentucky residents with electricity.

At the end of operations, estimated to be about 30 years on average, a solar panels will be removed and recycled. The bulk of a solar panel’s weight is glass and aluminum: materials commonly recycled in the U.S. With current technology, up to 95% of semiconductor material and 90% of glass used in panels can be recycled. Lastly, the land used for the solar farm will be restored to its original condition.

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For more information, read this fact sheet from American Clean Power.

Solar panels do not need direct sunlight to work. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, solar panels can still produce 80% of their energy potential. Because solar panels utilize direct and indirect sunlight to produce energy, they can still function even if the light is reflected or blocked partially by clouds.

Sunny cold weather is actually an ideal condition for solar panels to perform optimally. Even in the winter, a light dusting of snow has little impact on the panels and can be easily blown off by wind or technicans. Because panels are tilted at an angle, snow will also slide off of panels over time, cleaning the panel as it melts and slides off. Also, because of the reflectivity, or albedo effect, of snow, having snow on the ground near the panels can contribute towards them producing more electricity, with the smooth white surface reflecting light like a mirror. 

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For more information, read this article from the Department of Energy.

Research shows solar projects has not adversely impacted neighboring properties. In September 2020, the University of Rhode Island published an article after studying the effect of proximity to solar farms on property values by examining existing solar installations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The study provides data which found no negative impact to residential home values near solar projects in rural areas: “these results suggest that [the impacts on home sales in the Test Area] in rural areas is effectively zero."

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For more information, read this fact sheet from American Clean Power. 

The solar industry drives economic development, especially in rural communities, and can benefit all property owners through tax payments for roads, schools, and community services. According to American Clean Power, in 2020, utility scale solar projects contributed $750 million in state and local taxes and land-lease payments to property owners and have invested nearly $116 billion total in projects nationwide.The industry also supports 120,000 jobs across all 50 states.

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Mantle Rock Solar is expected to generate over $2 million in tax revenue for Livingston County, schools, roads, and local services. The construction period will create over 100 temporary jobs as well as full-time operations jobs. 

Solar panels are designed to provide safe, reliable, and affordable energy for approximately 35 years. Most of a solar panel’s weight (75%) is glass; other materials include aluminum, copper, and semiconductor materials. The primary component in solar cells is silicon, which is the second-most common element on earth and used in a variety of consumer electronics, from cell phones to computer chips. Modern commercial solar panels do not contain sufficient hazardous materials to pose a danger to the environment and human health, and generally may be disposed of in an ordinary landfill or may be recycled to create new solar panels.

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For more information, read this fact sheet from American Clean Power.

Alongside the economic benefits that solar development offers landowners and communities in rural areas, solar facilities also present benefits to the local environment. Some benefits include: improved soil health, reduce nutrient runoff, enhance stormwater management, form and retain soil, reduce pesticide use, reduce water use, and preserve future farming opportunities.

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For more information, read this fact sheet from American Clean Power.