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President Trump gives remarks at a midterm rally in Chillicothe, Ohio.
by Kimberly King
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Western North Carolina is seeing its share of solar energy projects.
The mountainous topography is a challenge for solar farms, which are happening on flat farmland in other parts of North Carolina.
Asheville farmers and homeowners are making the big up-front investment that can start at $40,000 for the future monthly constant savings on electric bills that can save several hundred dollars a month, experts say.
“We do a lease product where people actually make a monthly payment to a third-party company that owns the system. They can actually lower their monthly payment,” Sugar Hollow Solar CEO Doug Ager said.
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Farmers in other parts of North Carolina are also generating income by leasing portions of their land for solar projects according to Brownie Newman. For 15 years, Newman has worked in the solar industry and is the former chair of Buncombe County’s commission.
“A lot of farmers lease out a portion of their land for solar projects, and they get lease incomes from that,” Newman said.
In northern Buncombe County, a retired landfill has been repurposed for solar energy production.
The county partnered with Duke Energy on the project, which is estimated to provide enough electricity to power up to 600 homes. Completed a few years before Hurricane Helene, the project offers an example of how public land can be put to work.
2026 Sinclair, Inc.
