Second Harvest Flips the Switch on One of North Carolina’s Largest Rooftop Solar Arrays
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Second Harvest Flips the Switch on One of North Carolina’s Largest Rooftop Solar Arrays




Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, in partnership with Piedmont Environmental Alliance (PEA), is proud to announce the launch of Solar Harvest—a 1-megawatt rooftop solar array now operational atop the Food Bank’s headquarters. A “flip the switch” event on April 22, 2025, marked the official start of power generation from this landmark system.


The solar installation, among the largest of its kind in North Carolina, represents a milestone in mission-aligned sustainability. Comprising 1,702 solar panels and spanning nearly two acres of rooftop, Solar Harvest is projected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 197 homes annually and avoid nearly 1 million pounds of carbon emissions each year.


“This project reflects our commitment to sustainability—not just as a value, but as a strategy to power more of our work,” said Eric Aft, Chief Executive Officer at Second Harvest. “Solar Harvest is a big leap toward our vision of a more food-secure, environmentally responsible future.”


Second Harvest's sustainability journey began in earnest in 2019 with the creation of a committee to shape the design of its new facility, which opened in 2022. The rooftop solar project was made possible through the partnership and expertise of Piedmont Environmental Alliance, donor support, and the use of tax credits made available through the Inflation Reduction Act. In 2023, the organization was named Green Business of the Year by PEA.


“This project is a powerful example of what’s possible when nonprofits, community leaders, and forward-thinking federal policies come together,” said PEA’s Executive Director, Jamie Maier. “We are just so proud of our Green Business Network partnership with Second Harvest. Working with them on this project from feasibility to final flip of the switch was a true honor.”


The project is expected to save Second Harvest $143,000 each year—funds that will be reinvested directly into programs that provide food, nutrition education, and workforce development for neighbors across 18 counties of Northwest North Carolina.

 

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GET IN TOUCH

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC

3655 Reed St. 

Winston-Salem, NC 27107

hello@hungernwnc.org

Tel: 336-784-5770

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