Southern Energy Management (SEM), a company based at Morrisville, along with Piedmont Biofarm, Piedmont Biofuels, and Miraverse Power and Light has declared the ground breaking ceremony of a novel solar project known as ‘Solar Double Cropping’ project to be located in Pittsboro, North Carolina.
Solar Installation at Piedmont Biofarm. Credit: Southern Energy Management
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the solar array will take place on November 4th at 4pm. North Carolina Utilities Commission has issued a formal docket assignment for this Solar Double Cropping project that took over two years of engineering, design and planning.
Southern Energy Management, which has been chosen to complete the installation, will complete the 92.16 kW solar facility comprising 288 solar panels over the Piedmont Biofarm owned north field. The solar PV installation proposed with a nine-foot clearance from the ground level will enable the Biofarm to cultivate crops that grow at the ground level under partially shaded conditions. Doug Jones, Piedmont Biofarm’s owner, who has been trying out growing crops under shaded conditions for around two seasons will grow those vegetables and crops that will be benefited by the shaded conditions and grow under shade.
According to Lyle Estill, Piedmont Biofuels’ co-founder and designer of the project, the term ‘Double Cropping’ has been adopted from the wind industry. While solar installation has been banned over major farm lands, the project will showcase that it can generate electricity and grow crops in the same field simultaneously. Michael and Andy Tiemann, who owns Manifold Recording, a Chatham County located recording and production facility, will invest the finance needed for the project.