Solar farm planned for Pike County surface mine
Channel: Mountain Top News
Date: 18/04/2017

Eastern Kentucky has long been a friend of coal, and soon, it could be a friend of "sol" — solar energy.
Berkeley Energy and Edelen Strategic Ventures — founded by former State Auditor Adam Edelen — are partnering with EDF Renewable Energy on a project in Pike County. The partnership would see the installation of a large-scale solar farm on a reclaimed surface mine site near Kimper.
Organizers told EKB News the solar farm would be the largest in Kentucky upon completion, and would be capable of generating between 50 and 100 megawatts. Edelen told EKB News that one of the selling points of the project would be the hiring of out-of-work coal miners to construct the solar farm. Berkeley Energy representative Ryan Johns said the project is a perfect marriage of coal mining and renewable energy.
Edelen and Johns said the project is still in development, and they hope to begin construction early next year. Johns said the energy produced at the Pike County solar farm would be transmitted and sold through the PJM wholesale power market.