- FUNDING: Appalachian Solar Finance Fund awarded $42,000 for roof repairs and the installation of solar panels
- PLACEMENT: Olive Hill Center for Arts & Heritage in Olive Hill, KY
- COST SAVINGS: Lifetime savings of $483,700
- IMPACT: Solar panels will offset 62% of the historic building’s energy usage
The Olive Hill Center for Arts & Heritage has breathed new life into the historic Olive Hill High School, transforming the once-abandoned space into a vibrant hub for theater, art, and music. Now, the Center is stepping into a sustainable future with assistance from the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund (SFF) by installing a rooftop solar array that will benefit the organization for decades.
The Center offers a wide range of activities, from art and music lessons to soap-making and community theater, but maintaining such a large building has been costly, especially in terms of energy. Once complete, the new solar installation will offset 62% of the building’s electricity use, saving an estimated $483,700 over its lifetime.
Like many old buildings, Olive Hill faces significant challenges to upgrade to solar, but the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund team has been instrumental in helping this project overcome every hurdle.
Challenging Buildings Can Become Sustainable Buildings
Built in 1929, the building needs extensive renovations to enhance its energy efficiency while continuing to serve the Olive Hill community. With support from the SFF, the Center is making sustainability a reality.
The building needs a new roof to support the new solar panels. With funding from the SFF, this challenge can be overcome. Unless your building is new, many buildings require roof repairs or replacement before installing solar.
Thanks to an award from Sol Systems in partnership with Microsoft, nonprofit organizations, churches, governments, schools, and other community institutions in Central Appalachia are eligible for the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund’s “solar readiness” funding to offset up to 20% of overall roof-repair costs before installing solar. Find out more, check your eligibility status, and apply for funding support for your solar project and related roof repairs at solarfinancefund.org.
Changing Communities and Changing the Future
Cory Claxon, Director of Operations at the Olive Hill Center for Arts & Heritage, is proud of the Center’s solar initiative and excited that the City of Olive Hill passed a new solar net-metering ordinance to allow the project to move forward. The ordinance will help all Olive Hill businesses, not just the Center.
“It’s probably the most progressive thing Olive Hill City Council has done in the past 20 years and the most business-friendly thing,” Claxon said.
Partners In Making Solar Happen
The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund has served as a guiding light in helping this organization complete this project. The team has provided Olive Hill with grant funding and technical assistance to secure additional funding.
The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund awarded a $42,000 grant sub-award for the project—$14,000 toward roof repairs and the remainder toward solar panels—in addition to further funding and repayable financing provided by Mountain Association. To secure the final piece of funding needed to complete the project, the SFF contracted with a local grant writer to prepare and submit a successful application on behalf of Olive Hill to the SouthFace Institute’s GoodUse program. This is an example of how SFF can provide crucial technical assistance to complete a solar project’s capital stack.
Watch our blog for a final installment on the Olive Hill project once the solar installation is complete.
The Appalachian Solar Finance Fund is a regional financial and technical assistance program dedicated to spurring new solar development in coal-impacted counties of Central Appalachia. To bring solar power to your community, learn about the program works and apply online for grants and technical assistance.
