Opportunity
Loblolly Solar will bring jobs, local spending, and long-term tax revenue totaling over $16 million to the community. This additional revenue can support police and fire departments, schools, infrastructure improvements, and more.
The Surry County Comprehensive Plan states that one of the County’s goals is to, “promote the expansion and development of desirable industrial and commercial development in the county in order to broaden the tax base and increase local employment opportunities as well as provide needed services within the county.”
Loblolly Solar is well positioned to help Surry County achieve its goal of increasing employment opportunities. The solar industry in Virginia is growing faster than the overall economy, presenting new career opportunities throughout the Commonwealth. At Hexagon Energy, the developers behind Loblolly Solar, we have partnered with public and private institutions to ensure Virginians have access to the training they need to pursue a career in the solar energy industry. Equally important, this allows solar and construction employers to locate well-trained, high-quality talent right here in Virginia.
Local Construction & Operations Jobs
Pending the successful completion of all required studies and approvals, Loblolly Solar is estimated to begin construction in 2022. Construction is estimated to take 12-18 months, and the project would begin commercial operation in late 2023. As the start of construction gets closer, Loblolly Solar will hold job fairs for construction and operations positions. The dates and times for these job fairs will be published in local media and on this website. To stay up to date on the project or for more information about workforce training programs, please contact us directly.
Loblolly Solar - Increased Tax Revenue
Loblolly Solar represents a 30X increase in tax revenue! Totaling over $16,000,000 over the lifetime of the project Loblolly Solar represents a rare opportunity to increase local tax revenue without requiring additional County services or changing the rural nature of the County.
Surry County has face multiple year-over-year budget shortfalls with limited opportunities for new revenue. Loblolly Solar can help close the budget gaps, fund the broadband roll out, hire new teachers, or make needed capital investments. This revenue can help prevent Surry County from raising taxes while continuing to improve the quality of life and positioning Surry County for success.
SHINE
The Solar Hands-On Instructional Network of Excellence (SHINE) is a unique public-private partnership between the solar energy industry, local small businesses, and leading higher education institutions to ensure that Virginians seize the stable, new-economy jobs that the solar industry is creating across the Commonwealth. SHINE has developed a Pilot Program at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) to train workers to enter the solar utility installation field. Participants complete an accredited 60 to 80-hour training program at a cutting-edge, hands-on equipment laboratory located at Fort Pickett. Training classes will be coordinated with solar projects to enable graduates to transition directly from the classroom to a paying job.
To support local training for upcoming construction projects across our state, this initiative program includes a mobile lab that can deploy the program to other Virginia community colleges. Loblolly Solar will coordinate closely with SHINE to advertise and hold enrollment sessions in Surry County, ensuring community members the ability to register and connect to new careers in this growing industry. For more information, please visit: https://shine.energy.
