By Chuck Landever
The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in partnership with the Land of Sky Regional Council, awarded the Bills Creek Community Center a solar power grant valued at $55,063.00. The grant will set up a 8.7 kW solar array and a 27 kW battery backup. The “Beehive Microgrid” will allow the Community Center to become part of the overall disaster plan being developed by the Rutherford County Emergency Management Office. In addition to allowing the Community Center to act as an emergency hub during a natural disasters, the microgrid will provide the ongoing financial benefit of greatly reducing its current power bills. The project should be completed by October of this year.
