OREANDA-NEWS. August 13, 2014. Helen Livingston's family has owned a 300-acre farm near Maxton for generations. Now 45 acres of the land is covered with more than 26,000 dark solar panels, making it part of a growing movement to harvest electricity from the sun.

Solar farms like Livingston's are cropping up all over North Carolina, shining rays of hope on economically depressed areas by bringing jobs, a constant stream of revenue and the potential to attract eco-friendly industry and economic investment.

North Carolina has become a leader in the country in the growth of the farms, and Robeson County is near the top of the state in terms of solar capacity.

Chris Dunbar, vice president of operations for Asheville-based FLS Energy, calls North Carolina the "East Coast hub" for solar energy. FLS is one of the companies with several solar projects across North Carolina.

"If you want to talk to people who know about solar, you come to North Carolina," Dunbar said.
Solar farms convert sunlight into electricity. Their panels capture the sun's rays as direct current energy, before inverters turn it into alternating current power that is fed into the power grid. The power is used in homes, businesses and utilities.

North Carolina now has more than 120 solar farms, according to the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association, putting it at the top of several reports on solar capacity and the construction of solar farms.

Last year, North Carolina added more solar capacity than all but two other states, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. In the first three months of this year, the state moved up to second in the country, according to a May report by SNL Energy, an online publication that covers energy issues.

The state was fourth last year in installed solar capacity with enough to power 64,500 homes, the association said.

The creation of the farms translates into millions of dollars invested in North Carolina, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. In 2013, about USD787 million poured into North Carolina, an increase of 156 percent over the previous year, with more growth expected this year.

The growth is led by three companies with solar projects dotting the state at a rapid rate. Together, they account for more than 20 farms in the Cape Fear region.

Robeson County has become one of the focal points for the state's growth. It ranks second in the state for capacity behind Catawba County and has the fifth highest number of farms in the state, according to the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association.

With eight farms completed, it has more farms than any other county in eastern North Carolina, according to the association.

Dunbar said available property makes Robeson County a great place for solar farms.

"I think it starts with cheap land," he said.

The growth isn't slowing down, despite some resistance from some residents who don't want farms in their neighborhoods.

"Overall, they've been well received," said Robeson County Manager Ricky Harris. "It's a positive venture."