Solar Power
Lindsay Brecheisen
January 12, 2024
Shine Tribe Solar Spotlight
William B. Umstead State Park Goes Solar!
Location
Raleigh, NC
System Size
4.88 kW
Annual Production
6,422 kWh
Year Installed
2019
If you’ve been to William B. Umstead State Park recently, you may have noticed a sunny new addition to the Visitor’s Center. As close neighbors to Umstead State Park and all-around nature lovers, we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Strata Solar and The Umstead Coalition to bring Umstead Park’s solar powered dream to life.
Umstead Park’s solar journey began in early 2018 when we were first approached by the Umstead Coalition to design a system for the Visitor’s Center. Once the 4.88 kW system was designed, The Umstead Coalition was able to harness the power of the community to crowdfund a portion of the cost. We were happy to step in to donate our time to handle system design, permitting, interconnection, and on-site labor to make the vision a reality. We got a big boost from Strata Solar, who generously donated the solar panels and funded the remainder of the material for the project.
The partnership with Umstead State Park is a great opportunity for Southern Energy Management to continue our Mission of "Changing the way people make and use energy". We are excited to both help the Park preserve our natural resources through the creation of their own clean energy as well as educate every visitor that stops by the park about how clean energy works. (Of course it is a bonus that the park is right across the street from our office!)
It took over a year to bring all the parts together to make this project work, but we were finally ready to install the solar system last week. It was your typical North Carolina August day — sunny, humid, and HOT. (Shout out to our install crew for braving the heat!) At the end of the day, we couldn’t be more proud to see the system gleaming on the roof. Educational signage will be added soon to explain just how Umstead State Park’s Visitor Center is generating clean, renewable power to save money and help the environment. Plus, you’ll be able to watch the solar system’s production in real-time via a kiosk in the lobby!
Make sure you check it out and see how your local Raleigh state park is leading the change with solar!
Annual Impact
11,103
equivalent miles not driven
75
equivalent trees planted
579,075
smart phones charged
All of the staff at William B. Umstead State Park is incredibly grateful for the help of Southern Energy Management, Strata Solar, and The Umstead Coalition for helping to make our Visitor Center more sustainable. We look forward to educating the public about the benefits of solar power and renewable energy for years to come. The next time you come for a hike or a picnic, stop by our Visitor Center to learn more.
Ranger Nick Dioguardi
Park Ranger - William B. Umstead State Park
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