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Here comes the sun

By ALICIA LEONARD

DINNER WAS SERVED along with some information and door prizes at the ribbon cutting. Community, chamber, and co-op members got to see a glimpse of what a sunny future might look like with the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at the new Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative, Inc.(CHELCO) solar demo the afternoon of Sept. 8.
DINNER WAS SERVED along with some information and door prizes at the ribbon cutting. Community, chamber, and co-op members got to see a glimpse of what a sunny future might look like with the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at the new Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative, Inc.(CHELCO) solar demo the afternoon of Sept. 8.

DeFuniak Springs – Community, chamber, and co-op members got to see a glimpse of what a sunny future might look like with the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at the new Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative, Inc.(CHELCO) solar demo the afternoon of Sept. 8.
A respectable size group gathered to enjoy a light dinner, door prizes, and learn more about the solar array the company broke ground on in May of this year.
Located on U.S. 331 North at the operations center, the recently completed project will serve as a hands-on learning tool, providing education and experience for members and the community in the future.
Per their web site “The array is owned by PowerSouth, CHELCO’s wholesale power supplier. The solar array is 5.3 kilowatts total and is expected to produce roughly 8,700 kilowatt-hours per year. The 10 panel assembly is fairly typical of the size array residential members might consider for their home.”
The company is starting out cautiously but willingly, and it all comes down to providing the best service for their members, according to the project’s information page.

THE ARRAY IS “owned by PowerSouth, CHELCO’s wholesale power supplier. The solar array is 5.3 kilowatts total and is expected to produce roughly 8,700 kilowatt-hours per year. The 10 panel assembly is fairly typical of the size array residential members might consider for their home.”
THE ARRAY IS “owned by PowerSouth, CHELCO’s wholesale power supplier. The solar array is 5.3 kilowatts total and is expected to produce roughly 8,700 kilowatt-hours per year. The 10 panel assembly is fairly typical of the size array residential members might consider for their home.”

“CHELCO is supportive of renewable energy sources, such as solar, provided it makes financial sense for our members and does not negatively impact service reliability,” said Steve Rhodes, CHELCO CEO. “CHELCO will continue to work hard to find affordable ways for our members to receive renewable energy.”
A community project might be possible in 2017 that would depend on factors such as member interest and other considerations. This would allow for a larger output that community members could purchase a share of, produced at a lower cost than a typical individual array.
CHELCO Vice President of Member Services Steve Wolfrom spoke to the crowd about the array and future possibilities. Education and experience for the consumer, community, and members is at the heart of the project.
“Although we are not selling or installing solar panels, we do have our members’ best interests in mind and strive to be a source of knowledge when it comes to their decisions on solar energy,” he said.
Wolfrom added later, “We want to provide guidance and give them the tools necessary to make the best possible decision.”
CHELCO Director of Communications Ashley M. Williams said the response has been bright. “We’ve had a positive response from members and we are looking forward to the possibility of a community solar project.”
To learn more go to www.chelco.coopwebbuilder2.com and click on programs and services and then on renewable energy.