Solar company building world's largest system in Fletcher

FLETCHER – The sun keeps shining even in an economic downturn. The new Vanir Solar Construction Co., is building on that energy, adding 58 new jobs to construct the world's largest solar heating and cooling system

Formerly known as Appalachian Solar Energy, the Fletcher-based company was acquired in October by Vanir Energy of Sacramento, Calif. Before the ink even dried on the deal, the company launched an ambitious $2.4 million project to install 640 solar panels atop the Fletcher Business Park by Dec. 31.

The project will be the largest installation of solar thermal heating and cooling technology, according to a database maintained by the International Energy Agency in Paris. The system will dwarf the second largest system built for the Olympic Village in Beijing, China.

The acquisition and the new project were unveiled tonight at AdvantageWest's annual banquet at the Grove Park Inn.

Appalachian Energy launched as a company in 2003, operating a small hydroelectric dam in Madison County, providing power to 650 homes. “We've always wanted to carry that forward and become a regional and now a national company,” said Scott Clark, the president of Appalachian Energy.

Clark will become the senior vice president of Vanir Solar Construction, which will maintain its staff of 14 and offices at the Fletcher Business Park.

The Vanir group liked Appalachian Energy's business model of building and operating solar thermal systems for commercial customers. “It allows customers to install solar energy solutions without having to spend $1 million. They can spend their money on their business,” said Scott Hunter, chief operating officer of Vanir, a $3 billion private company with 400 employees.