WHNT.com
by: Samson Tamijani
LINCOLN COUNTY, Tenn. — One of the largest solar farms in the Tennessee is nearing completion in the unincorporated town of Elora, just off U.S. Highway 64.
The project was spearheaded by NextEra Energy Resources, the largest solar and wind energy developer in the nation.
NextEra spokesperson Bryan Garner said the solar farm of more than 500 thousand panels spans over a thousand acres, making it one of the Tennessee Valley’s largest renewable energy projects.
The primary customer is Facebook’s datacenter hub in northwest Huntsville, making the Elora facility a logical location, according to Garner.
“First we look for a really good solar resource in this case,” Garner said. “Secondly we look for access to transmission lines to be able to inject the power into the grid to be able to serve thousands of people. And then finally we look for willing landowners who are willing to partner with us, who are willing to lease their land for a project like this. And then the last element is the customer. We had TVA, who is obviously expanding its renewable energy offerings, and wants to continue to invest in clean energy projects like this one.”
Garner said tax revenue for Lincoln County alone will exceed millions of dollars after the first couple decades in operation. It joins another solar farm in the Shoals as the Facebook data center’s second energy resource, but will have the capacity to service “thousands” .
The Lincoln County solar farm is expected to go online within the first quarter of 2022 after the completion of various energy testing. Garner said.
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama has set a January execution date for an inmate convicted of the 1996 shotgun slaying of a man who towed his car after it broke down.
The Alabama Supreme Court on Thursday set a Jan. 27 lethal injection date for Matthew Reeves. Reeves was sentenced to death for the November 1996 murder of Willie Johnson in Dallas County, Alabama.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – The Beyond Van Gogh art exhibit has arrived in the magic city!
The Beyond Van Gogh exhibit has been traveling around the country and the world over the past couple of years, but has finally made it’s way to Birmingham. Starting on Nov. 17, visitors can stop by the BJCC to enjoy the masterful artwork of Vincent Van Gogh in an immersive way.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Governor Bill Lee is making a unique pitch to fill an officer shortage at the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
The 50th governor took to Twitter calling for law enforcement officers upset with vaccine mandates across the country to come to Tennessee, a state in the bottom 10 when it comes to vaccination rates.

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