After more than three weeks of setting the stage, the real stars of the 100-panel, 25 kW solar array, have arrived. One-by-one, each panel has been placed atop support poles on the north side of Heifer International’s campus in Little Rock, Ark. The project is expected to be completed by early September.
Supporting Heifer’s commitment to care for the Earth, the system will harness the sun’s energy to supplement 25 percent of the energy for Heifer’s headquarters. Additionally, it will provide back-up support to keep computers and lights on in the event of an electrical outage.
With annual rebates from the federal government and state of Arkansas, as well as electric savings, the $191,000 renewable energy system is expected to be fully paid for in 10-15 years.
Heifer’s solar array is the largest of its kind in central Arkansas. The panels, purchased from local solar equipment provider Stellar Sun, were installed by Little Rock Electric.
Watch progress of the installation and hear more about the project from Erik Swindle, Heifer’s Director of Facilities Management, in the video.
