Officials Laud Clean Energy Produced At New Phipps Bend Solar Farm

SURGOINSVILLE — Solar energy provider Birdseye Renewable Energy welcomed local dignitaries to the Phipps Bend Industrial Park on Tuesday to celebrate the completion of its new solar energy farm, located adjacent to the ruins of a canceled TVA nuclear power reactor. Birdseye, which is based in Charlotte, N.C., already has a substantial presence in Hawkins County with 20 solar panel installations on county school property that were installed five years ago and generate $43,750 annually for the county school system. The new $1.8 million installation located on approximately six acres at Phipps Bend will generate $4,200 annually in rent for the Phipps Bend Joint Venture — which is the board of directors comprised of Hawkins County and Kingsport representatives that oversees administration of the park. The facility will also generate personal property tax revenue for Hawkins County for the solar equipment, although the exact amount of revenue has not yet been determined. Comprised of more than 3,000 panels, the facility will generate enough energy to power about 92 homes, and Birdseye will be selling electricity generated there back to TVA. Birdseye owner Brian Bednar said Tuesday that since completing the county school solar projects, he'd been looking for ways to again partner with Holston electric, TVA and Hawkins County for another project. The Phipps Bend solar farm is part of TVA's Solar Solutions Initiative (SSI), which provides incentive payments for mid-size solar projects in TVA's Renewable Standard Offer program if the projects use local certified installers. Birdseye was introduced to the Phipps Bend location by Hawkins County Industrial Development board chairman Larry Elkins. "We identified this site, which is essentially the ideal size for a one-megawatt program that fits the SSI program," Bednar said.