Biltmore Estate expands solar program

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Here’s the press release:

Upsolar, a leading international provider of solar PV modules, today announced the completion of a 500 kW solar electric system at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Constructed by local firm Phillips and Jordan, Inc. (P&J), the PV system features Upsolar’s smart module technology powered by Tigo Energy to maximize system performance.

“The Biltmore Company has demonstrated foresight and environmental leadership by installing a system to cost-effectively reduce its energy costs.”

The solar electric system is an expansion of the estate’s current solar program, taking the company from a six-acre, 1.2 MW solar system to 1.7 MW on nine acres. Completed in 1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt II, the estate covers 8,000 acres and remains the largest privately owned house in the U.S. today.

This 500 kW addition features Upsolar smart modules, which combine Upsolar’s high quality PV modules with Tigo Energy’s power optimizers. Using smart modules, P&J was able to overcome the structural challenges of the system, which required them to preserve the land on the historic landmark while optimizing the power harvesting ability of each module. This was the first solar array constructed by P&J, a company with decades of experience in the construction field.