Over the next few days, we will install several solar arrays at Wake Electric’s new office building in downtown Wake Forest. The arrays were designed and built by Spotlight Solar in Chapel Hill and will be installed by PowerSecure Solar in Wake Forest.

We also plan to install several energy storage units using lithium-ion batteries like those used in electric vehicles. Those units will store the solar power produced during the middle of the day for use during the next peak load period, which is early morning in the winter and late afternoon in the summer.

We think this will be a good opportunity for us to learn more about how to seamlessly integrate small scale solar and energy storage technologies.

Wake Electric is already purchasing solar renewable energy credits for more than 75 million kWh annually from 23 large solar farms across eastern North Carolina, the equivalent of more than 10,000 residential-scale solar installations. We look forward to using the Spotlight Solar arrays to highlight Wake Electric’s commitment to use solar power to meet the state requirement for renewable energy.

Questions about solar energy? Suggestions for future topics? Please respond to MAC@wemc.com. For more Member Advisory Committee (MAC) newsletters and to learn about joining the community, go to https://wemc.com/MACmeetingsandcommunity.aspx.