Chattanooga Peds founders Dr. Jeanie Jung and David Harris are among the first business owners to become EPB Solar Share “Leaders” by offsetting 100% of the facility’s electricity usage with locally generated community solar power.
“EPB’s Solar Share meets our goal of reducing our offices’ carbon footprint without constructing a rooftop solar installation,” Mr. Harris said. “We want to be good neighbors and partners by offsetting all of our electricity consumption with renewable energy, which we believe benefits everybody in the community.”
Prior to becoming a Solar Share “Leader,” Chattanooga Peds established a relationship with EPB Energy Analyst Ann Eslinger to enhance the value of electricity through best practices and efficiencies. Ms. Eslinger determined that by licensing 70 Solar Share panels, the pediatric care facility can meet its goal of offsetting all of its electricity needs with locally generated solar power.
“The Chattanooga Peds owners are environmentally conscious in every way, and they understand that their young patients are growing up in a world where environmental stewardship is a critical part of all of our lives,” Ms. Eslinger said. “They look at the whole child approach of good health, which includes a healthy environment.”
EPB Solar Share was launched in July 2017 through a partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority as a way to provide customers with a new option for participating in renewable energy that lower the barriers that many home and business owners face. The 1.35 megawatt facility on Holtzclaw Avenue also serves as a living lab for developing future energy solutions in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
“We hope our decision to source all of our power through Solar Share encourages our community to embrace environmental consciousness as way of promoting good health and wellbeing,” Mr. Harris said.