William B. Umstead State Park, in the heart of the Triangle, holds a special place in the hearts of many North Carolinians. Whether they grew up in Raleigh biking or fishing here with their families, are new to the area and use the park as a place to unwind after a hard day at work in the Research Triangle Park, or are visiting from out of town and are staying at one of our many overnight camping facilities, people (over 1.5 million of them per year) love William B. Umstead State Park.



We strive to make William B. Umstead State Park a place that people can come and learn how to make the environment in which they live cleaner, healthier, and more natural. And to practice what we preach, we are looking to offset some of the electricity we use with power from the sun.



The proposed 5kw solar photovoltaic (PV) system would not only produce electricity for the Visitor Center and help reduce our dependance on energy derived from fossil fuels, but would also provide an educational component for the public to learn about renewable energy. A small wall mounted tablet display would deliver real time solar energy production data to visitors and allow park staff to educate the public about the system and the benefits of solar power. Southern Energy Management, a local B-corporation with nearly 1000 solar installations under their belt, will be our partnering contractor. 100% of the funds requested will go to purchasing and installing the 18 solar panels on the roof of the park's Visitor Center and whatever is raised above and beyond that will stay in the park being utilized by The Umstead Coalition. The proposed system would save the park hundreds of dollars a year that could be spent on keeping up trails, facilities, and education programs for the public to better enjoy.



Please help us make this dream a reality and help us fund our project. You would not only be helping the environment, but would also be educating the public for decades to come about the benefits of renewable energy from the sun.



Thank you for your consideration of our project, and whether you contribute or not, we hope to see you enjoying the outdoors in William B. Umstead State Park and in all of North Carolina State Parks.

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