Wilderness Trace Solar

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 16:37:00 GMT

Phone: 859-439-0620

Email: contact@wildernesssolar.com

SEIA Solar Business Code

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 18:44:00 GMT

We honor the Solar Energy Industries Association Solar Business Code and are members of the Kentucky Solar Energy Society. We pledge to our customers and all of our business partners to provide accurate, clear information that is easily understood and reliable. Please make sure any solar installer you are considering working with does the same. Please see link below for details.

https://www.seia.org/initiatives/seia-solar-business-code

Solar System Installer

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 15:38:00 GMT

George Lilly graduated in 2017 from BCTC with a degree in mechanical and electrical engineering, as well as mechanical maintenance. He is certified in alternative and solar energies. Since 2019, George demonstrated a tireless work ethic as an installer but is now focusing his efforts in residential and commercial sales. As a native Kentuckian, George remodeled his own home and used Wilderness Trace Solar to do his own installation.

Thankful to be your neighbor and your local solar design and installation team!

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 16:17:00 GMT

859-439-0620

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 20:02:00 GMT

We look forward to working with YOU!

Federal Tax Credit Revised to 30%!

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 14:19:00 GMT

Great news! The Federal Tax Credit (ITC) for residential and commercial solar is available NOW and is retroactive for those who had new solar systems installed in 2022!

CELEBRATE! Call us to get on our installation schedule 859-439-0620

Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc. Installs Off-Grid Solar at MSU Derrickson Ag Complex!

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 13:37:00 GMT

We are proud to be a big part of this project!

Isom IGA goes solar!

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 14:41:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc., proudly shares this installation we just finished at Isom IGA – you can find more information about all the team players involved here: https://mtassociation.org/…/solar-takes-off-in-the-eastern…/

General Manager

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 14:32:00 GMT

JOHN COTTEN

Our General Manager is John Cotten, a graduate of Morehead State University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. John has been with Wilderness Trace Solar since our inception in 2015. He participates in industry specific meetings in Frankfort, Kentucky representing not just the solar installers but also speaks on behalf of residential and commercial solar customers.

PROUD & THANKFUL TO BE YOUR LOCAL SOLAR TEAM!

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 16:36:00 GMT

DRILLING, MIXING, RACKING, STACKING… (REPEAT)

Join Us This Saturday Sept 14 in Lexington – Evolve KY Ride & Drive Electric Vehicle Event!

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:17:00 GMT

Catching the rays at Hemphill Community Center in Jackhorn, Ky !

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 20:49:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar is so proud to be a big part of this project! Below is an excerpt from Hemphill’s page … who they are, what they do. Beautiful.

Hemphill Community Center was originally formed in 1968, and was then housed in the back of the Old Hemphill Fountain, which was one of the original Elkhorn Coal Corporation buildings. James Johnson and Mella Anderson of Hemphill, who worked tirelessly to establish a park and horse riding show grounds, founded the organization. After a few years, the Community Center disbanded and dissolved.

The Community Center is now housed in what was formerly the Hemphill Grade School Building, where three generations of students attended school between 1944 and 1990. The school closed in 1990 and left a community without a gathering space. Beginning in 1997, the community worked with the Letcher County Fiscal Court and the Letcher County School Board to use the vacant rundown building as a community gathering space.

Hemphill Community Center is now a gathering place for families, friends, and neighbors. A place where mountain traditions such as quilt making, traditional music and hospitality abound. A place to host reunions, parties, receptions and community events. It is also home of the Letcher County Coal Miner’s Monument and the Hemphill Catering Company.

Weekly music, dance and food takes place every Friday evening at the Friday Nite Pickin’ music event. Other activities include survival skill training, instruction in shape note singing, quilting, cooking, woodworking, beekeeping, canning and preserving food and traditional music.

In the Pink!

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:32:00 GMT

Photo courtesy of Shannon Causey, WTS Technical Design & Sales

HOMES Inc., is where our heart is!!!

Thu, 30 May 2019 15:09:00 GMT

“HOMES, Inc. is an affordable housing non-profit organization located in Whitesburg, Kentucky. We’re dedicated to providing safe, affordable and decent housing for low and very low income households in Letcher County and our surrounding service area.”

John Cotten, Wilderness Trace Solar’s General Manager, worked closely with Seth Long and Joe Oliver at HOMES, Inc. as well as Josh Bills of MACED to coordinate implementation plans for this solar energy system for the roof of the HOMES, Inc., offices in Whitesburg, Kentucky.

Danny Tolson, Wilderness Trace Solar’s Operations Manager, directed and supervised the installation of the 37.96 Kw solar array. Per HOMES, “ The solar system will provide 51% of the energy we use at our corporate office.” According to a recent article by MACED.Org,”Saving on electric costs is especially important for HOMES as any savings can go back into serving their mission of providing affordable, efficient housing to people in need in southeast Kentucky, instead of to the utility company. Efficiency also has impacts on HOMES’ new rooftop solar installation – currently in progress! – because solar goes a lot farther when you’re using less electricity to begin with. MACED’s Commercial Energy Specialist Josh Bills estimates that with this new efficient equipment and their solar panels, HOMES will use HALF the electricity per year than they used to!”

Special thanks to Danny Tolson for sharing your skills and training the many helping hands at HOMES and MACED. For Wilderness Trace Solar it’s always more than a solar installation – it’s about making the resources available to put renewable energy to work in our daily lives.

Photos below are courtesy of HOMES, Inc…

Ribbon Cutting! WTS Public EV Charging Station Event on April 23, 2019

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 19:15:00 GMT

WOW! What a great sunny day we had at WTS on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 for our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony! In a nutshell, this is how the morning happened…

Ken Scott-WTS Owner, Adam Edelen-Democratic Candidate for Governor, Mike Perros-Mayor of Danville, and Stuart Ungar-President of Evolve KY, cut the RIBBON! Thanks for supporting the EVs!

We had coffee from The Roosters Whistle! This is our owner Paula Scott ready for the first cup! It’s almost ready Paula… Thanks to The Roosters Whistle – AWESOME!

The electric vehicle drivers enjoyed talking to many people and even gave ride-alongs to all who were interested.

Did I mention we had Burke’s Bakery Muffins and Doughnuts??

It was a very good day! Thanks everyone!!! We are all charged up!

Happy Earth Day!

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 20:35:00 GMT

Enjoy this heart warming Earth Day video from one of our super special customers! Hope your Earth Day was as great as ours!

WTS Proud to be on Plugshare.com

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 14:37:00 GMT

Click here to see our recent interview on LEX18 News!

Somerset Commonwealth Journal article about the KY Green Living Fair! We loved it!

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 20:59:00 GMT

Green Living Fair finds success in Somerset sustainable for sixth year Around 1,200 people come to see new technology, old favorites By Christopher HarrisCommonwealth Journal 16 hrs ago Christopher Harris I CJ Lochlann Ellis, 5, and Oskar Ellis, 2, were two of many children who enjoyed playing with the baby chicks at Saturday’s sixth-annual […]

*

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:45:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar is committed to making our community and world a better place to live. It has been in operation since 2015 and is located at 70 Stewarts Lane North, Danville, Kentucky 40422. They are specialists in designing and installing Residential, Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional solar energy systems throughout Kentucky. Their tag line since inception has been, “Plug Into the Sun” – now, with the public EV charging station – you can do that!

To learn more visit wildernesssolar.com or stop in for a visit! Call 859-439-0620 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Technical Design & Sales

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 13:35:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc., is pleased to announce Shannon Causey as our

Technical Design &Sales team member

Shannon has a diverse background with a personal involvement in solar – he has solar at his home. He brings a lot of new experience and knowledge to Wilderness Trace Solar – we are so glad he has joined us!

Shannon has interesting hobbies including hydroponic gardening, hiking, and spending time with his family. Shannon enjoys driving his EV (electric vehicle) to work! He is our second EV driver here at WTS!!!

Welcome Shannon Causey! We are excited to work with you!

Our Owner and Chief Innovator!

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 14:27:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc., Danville’s solar energy provider, was founded by Ken Scott on June 1, 2015. Ken purchased equipment from a small solar panel manufacturer at an auction, hired two former Alternative Energies Kentucky employees, John Cotten and Danny Tolson, and the rest they say is history. Their passions collided on the promotion of renewable energy and solar power systems. John is General Manager here at WTS, and Danny is our Operations Manager.

If you ask Ken, “why solar?”, he smiles easily and says, “It’s simple, and elegant. It’s efficient, renewable and it works!”. Ken has hundreds of innovative ideas and plans, some of which are already in place at the WTS campus as well as next door at Culligan Water, another business owned by Ken. He is the motivation behind our Solar Park and enjoys giving tours and explaining the objective behind the mechanics.

In addition to solar-powered projects, Ken and his wife Paula are also leading a Riparian Project involving the water drainage ditch between the WTS building and the Boyle County Detention Center. The idea is to use native Kentucky plants, shrubs and trees to hold the creek banks preventing further erosion while simultaneously establishing a pollinator’s paradise for our insects and birds.

Wilderness Trace Solar staff appreciate Ken Scott and his wife Paula for all they do for us, our environment, community and world! Thank you both so much!

Wilderness Trace Solar in the News!

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 14:24:00 GMT

Video from WLEXTV-18 Local News – John Cotten speaking for WTS, and for the industry.

CLICK HERE FOR STORY

The sun is out and so are WE!

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 20:34:00 GMT

We are actively participating in several Spring events — we invite you to join us — stop by. Let’s celebrate the sunshine and its enormously beneficial solar opportunities!

Our upcoming events include:

Friday, April 5 – Sunday, April 7, 2019 – Central Kentucky Home & Garden Expo Lexington Center, Lexington Kentucky

Saturday, April 6, 2019 – Kentucky Green Living Fair, Center for Rural Development, Somerset, Kentucky

Saturday, April 27, 2019 – Earth Day Celebration, Bluegrass Community and Technical College on Lebanon Road, Danville, Kentucky

Hope to see you!!

Central KY Home Expo – C’mon Over!

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 15:56:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc. will be in Booth # 14 at the Central Kentucky Home Expo at the Kentucky Horse Park in AllTech Arena on February 22 – 24, 2019.

Come by and visit us, see you there!

Solar Energy System Installer

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 21:25:00 GMT

Chris Tolson has been with Wilderness Trace Solar since 2016 and worked his way up as our Lead Installer. Chris has a background in residential construction with a private construction company. He has successfully completed numerous certifications to lead the installation team to hundreds of successful solar builds. As an active member of the community and to raise awareness about renewable energy, Chris provided several impromptu presentations to Campton Elementary School about solar energy during their own installation.

Fantastic Scholastic Solar Energy System!

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 20:50:00 GMT

Congratulations to Campton Elementary School in Wolfe County, Kentucky! The installation of your school’s Wilderness Trace Solar Energy System is nearing completion.

Our installation team has really enjoyed interacting with the local community during this install. Thank you so much! We send you warm sunny day wishes for generating lots of solar power for your lovely school.

Solar Energy System Installer

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 18:36:00 GMT

Introducing Shawn Lane – one of our top installers! Congratulations to Shawn, he has been a key member of our Wilderness Trace Solar Team for four years! Shawn has enjoyed learning about solar energy systems and has participated in installing thousands of panels and many mounting systems. He is also a welder and lucky for us he prefers working outside! When he is not on the job at WTS, Shawn is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family. He is a self-proclaimed “Mustang Addict” and “Ford Man”. Thanks for all that you do Shawn – we know we can always count on YOU and that means a lot!

EVolveKy Electric Ride & Drive Event

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 20:22:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc., was a sponsor of the EVolveKy Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive Event in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday, September 8th, as part of “National Drive Electric Week”! Although there were clouds in the sky and the occasional rain shower John Cotten and Laura Zaspel had a great time presenting solar energy system […]

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 15:49:00 GMT

The Sky is the limit!

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 15:17:00 GMT

At Wilderness Trace Solar we dream of having solar energy systems installed as far as the eye can see!

Our team at Wilderness Trace Solar is very proud to have been a big part of this project for Highland Housing in Barbourville, Kentucky.

We work throughout the state – no job is too big or too small for Wilderness Trace Solar!

News – WTS participating in EVolve KY Ride and Drive Event!

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 14:14:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar is excited to be a participant in the upcoming EVolve KY Electric Vehicle Ride & Drive Event being held on Saturday, September 8, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Whole Foods Market , the Summit at Fritz Farm, 4059 Finn Way, Lexington, KY 40517.

What do Electric Vehicles and Solar Energy have in common? They are both CLEAN energy performance for use in our daily lives! Our Office Manager, Laura Zaspel, takes great joy in driving her Electric Vehicle to work at Wilderness Trace Solar – every day! She is doubly excited to participate in this event as a member of EVolve KY and an employee of WTS!

“Wilmore adds Solar Power to Rice House”

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 18:02:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar recently installed a roof-mounted solar energy system for the Rice House in downtown Wilmore, Kentucky. The system was made possible by private donation. The Rice House is a museum and rental space owned by the city of Wilmore that is located on Rice Street off of East Main. We are proud to have been a part of this project.

https://www.jessaminejournal.com/2018/08/09/wilmore-adds-solar-power-to-rice-house/

Kentucky Solar Energy Society (KYSES) Annual Meeting

Tue, 15 May 2018 18:36:00 GMT

Kentucky Solar Energy Society (KYSES) Annual Meeting

May 19, 2018

11:30 am – 4:00 pm

The 2018 Kentucky Solar Energy Society Annual Meeting will be hosted by Wilderness Trace Solar located at 70 Stewarts Lane North, Danville, Kentucky 40422 (On the By-Pass, next to the Boyle County Jail).

Anyone who is interested in solar and renewable energy in Kentucky is invited to attend the KYSES annual meeting. Lunch will be provided. The keynote speaker is former Kentucky State Auditor and current solar activist, Adam Edelen.

After the meeting there will be a tour of several local solar sites.

The Kentucky Solar Energy Society (KYSES) was formed in 2007 by solar enthusiasts and professionals to inform, educate and advocate in Kentucky on issues of energy conservation, energy efficiency, solar and other renewables.

For more information go to kyses.org or call 859-439-0620.

Upcoming Spring Events!

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 16:03:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc. will have an exhibit at two shows this upcoming weekend!

The 43rd Annual Home & Garden Show in Central Kentucky at the Lexington Center. The Event will last from April 5th-7th with the following hours:

Friday 2:00pm – 7:00pm
Saturday 10:00am – 7:00pm
Sunday 11:00am – 5:00pm

Check out this link to learn more about the show: www.CKYHomeShow.com

Additionally, on April 7th Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc. will have an exhibit at the Kentucky Green Living Fair in Somerset, KY and will also give a short talk on Off-Grid Solar at 11:00am in Room D. This fair is presented by the Market on Main in partnership with Caught Wild, West Sixth Brewing and Need More Acres Farm

Check out this link to learn more about the fair: http://www.kygreenlivingfair.com

We hope to see you all there!

Solar in the Winter

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 18:14:00 GMT

Solar energy may not be at the forefront of your mind in the Winter, but these Winter months can actually be an optimal time to think about installing a Solar Energy System!

It’s true that cloud cover and shorter days can make your Solar Energy System less productive in the Winter. However, the cooler weather is actually better for solar electricity production by solar panels. This means that a bright sunny day in the winter has the potential to produce a lot of solar energy!

Additionally, installing a Solar Energy System in the Winter means that you can take advantage of the months of high productivity during the brighter, longer days and cooler temperatures experienced in the Spring.

Many customers at Wilderness Trace Solar, Inc. have taken advantage of the Winter months to invest in solar. As a result, we have been very busy installing residential Solar Energy Systems. These Solar Energy Systems were designed to offset a portion of each customer’s energy usage and put these customers on track to start saving in 2018. Pictured below is one of the Grid-Tied, Ground-Mounted Systems we recently installed. If you are interested in your installing your own Solar Energy System, fill out a contact form . From there we can set up a site visit and provide an installation quote!

Vampire Power and Phantom Loads

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 18:16:00 GMT

What’s this? Vampire power? Phantom Loads? October is Energy Awareness Month, and on this Halloween-eve it’s a great time to look at how eliminating vampire power, and taking other measures, can aid you in reading your energy consumption.

Even if you aren’t considering solar, reducing your energy usage can save you money! If you are considering solar, then reducing your energy usage can reduce the size of solar power system needed to cover you annual energy usage!

Consider these quick ways to decreasing your energy usage:

Check out these articles to learn more!

https://green.harvard.edu/tools-resources/poster/top-5-steps-reduce-your-energy-consumption

https://www.choice.com.au/home-improvement/energy-saving/reducing-your-carbon-footprint/articles/five-ways-to-reduce-your-households-energy-use

A New Solar Energy System Installed at EKU Helps Them Take Steps Towards a Brighter Future

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 15:20:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar has been busy with an installation at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The installation of this Solar Energy System will help them offset a portion of their electric costs, meet their sustainability goals, and also serve as a teaching tool for students to learn more about solar energy!

The APSystem monitoring installed with this solar energy system allows data regarding the production of this system more accessible to students. Check out our page on monitoring your system to learn more!

The Spark for Solar

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 14:17:00 GMT

One of the most abundant energy sources on the Earth is light, or solar radiation, from the sun. But how do we plug into this vast energy resource?

Our first hints come from plants, bacteria, and protists. These organisms have been using photosynthesis to generate biomass for a long time, but what does this mean?

Cells that perform photosynthesis utilize the solar radiation of light from the sun to produce glucose, or food energy. In chlorophyll a, or other accessory pigments, solar radiation is absorbed, allowing the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose, which releases oxygen.

CO ₂ + H ₂ O → C ₆ H ₁₂ O ₆ + O ₂

The energy chlorophyll a absorbs causes electrons to be excited. When chlorophyll a’s electrons are excited enough, they leave. These free electrons are then transferred to electron carriers that aid in reactions generating energy and biomass for the organism.

The idea that solar radiation can be converted into electricity is one of the founding elements of solar power. Electricity is energy from the flow of electrons. So, how do we free electrons in artificial cells and generate a flow to produce electricity?

Photovoltaic (PV) “Solar” cells were developed to do just this. In one solar cell, semi-conductive materials (usually silicon) are treated at the front and back of the cell to generate positive and negative ends. When sunlight shines on silicon, electrons are released. The electric field produced by the differently charged ends causes the electrons to flow, and this flow is direct current (DC) electricity!

Check out the video below to learn more about how solar panels work!

Safely Viewing the Solar Eclipse

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 18:25:00 GMT

There are only 4 days until the solar eclipse! Are you unsure about what you should consider in order to safely view the eclipse? Here are some pointers:

What if I Don’t Have Eclipse Glasses or a Solar Viewer?

An alternative method for safe viewing of the partially eclipsed sun is a pinhole projection. For example, cross the outstretched, slightly open fingers of one hand over the outstretched, slightly open fingers of the other, creating a waffle pattern. With you back to the sun, lookout your hands’ shadow on the ground. The little spaces between your fingers will project a grid of small images on the ground, showing the sun as a crescent during the partial phases of the eclipse. You can also just look at the shadow of a leafy tree during the partial eclipse; you’ll see the ground dappled with crescent suns projected by the tiny spaces between leaves.

Mark Your Calendars for the Solar Eclipse!

Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:47:00 GMT

The start of August marks the 20 day countdown until the highly anticipated solar eclipse of 2017! As one of the states in the direct path of this eclipse, Kentuckians have a great chance to witness the phenomenon. Use this link to check out the time-frame and percent of obscuration that will be visible from your location:

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/7/25/16019892/solar-eclipse-2017-interactive-map

As the link indicates, most of Kentucky residents will be able to witness at least a 90% obscuration of the sun during the eclipse. Here in Danville, the eclipse will start on August 21st around 1:00 PM, reach maximal obscuration at 2:30, and end around 4:00 PM.

For those that aren’t aware, a solar eclipse occurs when the orbits of the Earth and Moon line up just right to allow the Moon to pass between the Earth and the Sun, momentarily blocking the sun’s rays. We hope that you take the chance to appreciate this awesome event!

Make sure to wear protective eyewear if you choose to watch! Normal sunglasses are not sufficient. Use this link to learn more about how to safely watch an eclipse: https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/safety

Hire of Father-Son Team Qualifies Wilderness Trace Solar for a Small Business Tax Credit

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 20:07:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar was recently mentioned in the Advocate-Messenger for acquiring a $7,000 tax credit through the Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit program. As the article’s author, Kendra Peek, noted:

Peek went on to acknowledge Wilderness Trace Solar as likely being the first Boyle County business to earn a Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit. Hiring Danny Tolson as our installation manger and Chris Tolson as our installation technician has been a significant asset for our company, and we could not be happier to have the father-son team on board!

Check out the rest of the article at the Advocate-Messenger: http://www.amnews.com/2017/07/19/shining-sun-wilderness-trace-solar-qualifies-for-tax-credit/

Take a look at Wilderness Trace Solar’s New Solar Street Lamp!

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 13:28:00 GMT

Wilderness Trace Solar Inc. was hard at work last week installing a 6 meter 30W Solar Street Light overlooking our main parking lot. This street light charges during the day and automatically turns on when it gets dark. We’re happy to have our sidewalks lit at night and to add another solar product to our grounds: There’s so much you can do with solar!

Nancy Lindsay’s Testimonial

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 17:11:00 GMT

“The men at Wilderness Trace Solar were professional and helpful throughout the process of our solar install. They were patient with all of our questions. The install went smoothly and the area was kept clean and returned to the same condition as before the install. I would highly recommend solar panels to anyone who is […]