Scenic Hill Solar completes 1.2-megawatt array with new modules

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 100 views 

Little Rock-based solar power developer Scenic Hill Solar started operating a 1.2-megawatt DC solar array on 13 acres in Stuttgart, according to a Wednesday (July 24) news release.

Citing client privacy, the company declined to name the project client or provide the array’s address. However, the release shows the project is the first to feature First Solar Series 7 TR1 photovoltaic modules.

“We are proud that this project marks the first global commercial deployment of First Solar Series 7 modules,” said Bill Halter, CEO of Scenic Hill Solar. “Scenic Hill Solar and First Solar collaborate on a foundation of shared values: a belief in the importance of American solar manufacturing, a dedication to continued technological innovation in the United States and a commitment to the principles of responsible solar.”

In 2022, Scenic Hill Solar partnered with First Solar and eight other American solar and battery storage equipment manufacturers to launch the American Made, Arkansas Built Initiative. As part of the initiative, Scenic Hill Solar projects are used as sites for collaboration, research, and deployment of new American technologies.

“First Solar is proud to work with forward-thinking partners like Scenic Hill Solar, who are playing a pivotal role in the growth of solar energy across the great state of Arkansas and beyond,” said Mounir El Asmar, head of strategic accounts at First Solar. “Congratulations to Scenic Hill Solar on this landmark project.”

According to the release, First Solar’s Series 7 TR1 modules are silver rated in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) global registry for sustainable electronics. They have the lowest carbon and water footprint of any commercially available photovoltaic module and are the first solar modules to achieve the EPEAT Climate+ designation for meeting the “ultra-low carbon threshold.”

Other project partners included Axium Solar, DC Solar and PMI of Little Rock. The project also features Array Technologies’ Dura Track H2 single-axis tracking system.