Farmers’ Electric Cooperative completed the installation of a 9.75 kW/DC, ground-mount solar array located behind the business office in Chillicothe in August 2018.  The demonstration project positions the Cooperative as a direct source of information about this developing form of renewable energy for both our employees and our Members. The solar array allows for the documentation of the actual operating, maintenance, and production characteristics to provide accurate analysis data for potential future projects and will help the Cooperative gain first-hand experience in solar energy production to benefit our Members. As there continues to be a growing level of discussion and promotion of solar energy, the Board of Directors and management of the Cooperative determined that it would be beneficial to install a solar system and to share the information with our Members and legislators. 

Farmers' applied for a Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant to help with the cost of the solar array.  The Cooperative was awarded $6,335 from the grant program which provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements.  Farmers' previously received a REAP grant for our LED lighting project in 2015. We are pleased to share a few pictures of the solar array project constructed by Cooperative employees. You can view the real-time generation output anytime by clicking the link below.