Solar Farm Tours

Ever wondered how solar panels work?   Agricenter offers Solar Tours to adult and student groups.  Call Tim Roberts at 901-435-7109 for more information. 

Click here for a current reading of the energy being produced at Agricenter.  

Fun Facts about our system

8,421,500 kWh has been produced since it was opened April 2012 (date of reading was July 14, 2017). 

1 MW photovoltaic system (1 megawatt = 1,000 kilowatts)

5 acres of land

4,160 solar panels made in Memphis

Agricenter's solar farm represents 25% of all solar power generated in Shelby County

First system in TN with tracking panels; they rotate from east to west

All parts were made in TN except for the rotating motors

Tracking systems increases generation output by about 20% over stationary systems

Significant wind speed will trigger panels to lock in horizontal position to prevent damage

It generates 1.66 million kWh per year - enough to power the equivalent of 107 average Memphis homes (~15,600 kWh/home)

System was installed by LightWave Solar and is owned by Silicon Ranch - both are Nashville companies

Agricenter is leasing the land to Silicon Ranch

TVA buys 100% of the green power generated by the panels through their Green Power Providers program

MLGW is contractually obligated to buy 100% of the power it distributes in Shelby County from TVA

Electricity is exported from the solar array onto the MLGW power grid where it mixes with TVA power and is sent to other customers

Photo courtesy: Memphis Business Journal
Photo from the April 10, 2012 ribbon cutting.

Photo from the April 10, 2012 ribbon cutting.