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On the heels of completing the first solar installation worldwide using a new series of American-made photovoltaic modules, Scenic Hill Solar of Little Rock won recognition this week from Solar Power World.
The trade publication ranked Scenic Hill as Arkansas’ largest sun power developer for 2023. In addition, it also named Scenic Hill the country’s 11th largest solar solar developer overall, and the fifth largest in commercial and industrial development.
CEO Bill Halter said the rankings reflected Scenic Hill’s experience in all areas of solar development. Those include financing, regulatory approvals, construction, ownership and operation of solar power plants, he said.
“Being fifth in the country in commercial and industrial, and 11th in the country in terms of solar development overall, that’s a nice accomplishment for an Arkansas-based company,” Halter told Arkansas Business in a telephone interview.
Solar Power World based the rankings on total kilowatts of solar capacity installed in generation projects nationwide last year.
Other Arkansas Firms
Scenic Hill installed 32,372 kilowatts of solar capacity in 2023, ranking 93rd overall among all companies in all facets of the solar industry nationwide. Three other Arkansas companies made the listing. They were Shine Solar of Rogers, 161st overall at 10,391 kilowatts; Seal Solar of North Little Rock, 197th at 6,633 kilowatts; and Delta Solar of Little Rock, 313th at 1,394 kilowatts.
“Scenic Hill Solar is grateful for our terrific clients,” Halter said, praising the company’s clients, including businesses, government entities, universities and school districts. “We are proud to assist them in achieving their financial and sustainability goals.”
Halter also noted Scenic Hill’s recent completion of a 1.2-megawatt project in Stuttgart using new Series 7 modules from First Solar Inc. of Tempe, Arizona. The 13-acre distributed energy project is the first commercial solar field in the world to deploy the Series 7 TR1 photovoltaic modules. It began operation early this year.
Module Maker
Halter described First Solar as America’s largest solar module manufacturer, and “the only American company that competes globally in modules.”
He compared the development of the new module series with Boeing launching a new aircraft or Pratt Whitney launching a new jet engine. “We’re proud that a Scenic Hill project was the first place in the world that deployed those modules,” Halter said.
Scenic Hill, First Solar and eight other solar and battery storage manufacturers partnered in 2022 in an initiative. Called “America Made, Arkansas Built,” it tests new American technology at Scenic Hill projects sites.
First Solar’s head of strategic accounts, Mounir El Asmar, congratulated Scenic Hill in a statement. “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.”
The manufacturer builds its advanced PV modules for quality, durability and environmental performance, the companies said in a news release.
Scenic Hill Solar worked with experienced partners on the Stuttgart project. Axium Solar of Plano, Texas, performed the electrical work; DC Solar Inc. of Temecula, California, performed the array’s mechanical work. PMI of Little Rock handled the civil and environmental engineering.
The array uses a single-axis tracking system from Array Technologies of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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