Johnston County is encouraging the general public to attend a solar education meeting which will be held Nov. 29 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Johnston County Agricultural Center Auditorium, 210 Highway, Smithfield.
Stephen Kalland, executive director of the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, North Carolina State University will speak during the event. He will educate participants about the technology, construction, regulations, and economics of utility-scale solar photovoltaic systems that are increasingly being installed across North Carolina. Participants will also learn about the various impacts of solar systems on the community and the environment.
Kalland will answer questions about PV panel toxicity, EMF or radiation economic impacts, system decommissioning, and others. He will also discuss characteristics that would make a site suitable for solar developments and provide more information about solar land leases. An opportunity for discussion will be given after a 50-minute presentation.
Interested individuals can contact the Johnston County Extension Center at (919) 989-5380.
Kalland is a veteran in the renewable energy and energy efficiency fields. He directs the strategic vision of NCSU’s clean energy center and its programs, which range from technical assistance, economic development and public policy to workforce development. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association and is a past board member of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, North Carolina Green Power, and the United States Combined Heat and Power Association.
Currently, he is also a member of the Advisory Boards of the Research Triangle CleanTech Cluster, and the Energy Study Institute based in Washington, D.C.
