It was a beautiful morning last Thursday in Northampton County — the sun shining bright, a gentle breeze sweeping across a freshly harvested field — as Roanoke Cooperative joined partners and community members to celebrate a major milestone in the cooperative’s energy journey.
On October 23, Roanoke Cooperative hosted the first ribbon cutting of the day to mark the completion of a new solar + battery storage facility in Pendleton, North Carolina. The site, built on land owned by Mrs. Mitchell, stood as a symbol of innovation and partnership — the result of years of planning, persistence, and collaboration.
Roanoke Cooperative President & CEO Marshall Cherry welcomed guests and reflected on how this project, which began in 2018, has grown into a powerful example of what rural communities can accomplish together.
“This solar + battery storage site is a milestone for Roanoke Cooperative,” Cherry shared. “It reflects the values that drive our work every day: innovation, equity, and commitment to the communities we serve.”
Cherry also spoke about the importance of the cooperative’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, where solar, battery storage, traditional generation, and demand response programs all work together to keep power reliable, affordable, and increasingly local.
“This site isn’t just about energy,” he said. “It’s about people, land, and opportunity. It’s about ensuring that rural communities like ours are not just connected to the grid but actively shaping its future.”
As guests took in the view of the new solar array and battery units, Amadou Fall, Chief Operating Officer of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, shared how the technology will strengthen the grid and support member-owners when it matters most.
“These projects pair battery energy storage and solar generation. Solar energy is most abundant during the middle of the day, but the highest demand for electricity is typically on winter mornings and summer afternoons,” Fall explained. “By dispatching the stored solar energy when it’s needed most, we’re improving grid efficiency and resilience.”
Later that same day, the celebration continued in Halifax County, where Roanoke Cooperative and its partners gathered around lunchtime for a second ribbon cutting — this time at another new solar + battery storage site built on land owned by Mr. Harrell.
The Halifax facility mirrors the innovation and purpose of Pendleton’s, serving as another step forward in building a stronger, more flexible energy system for Roanoke Cooperative’s member-owners.
“Together with the Pendleton site, we now have two distributed energy resources actively contributing to our system and benefiting our members,” Cherry said. “This is rural resilience. This is cooperative leadership.”
Ajulo Othow, Founder and CEO of EnerWealth Solutions, LLC, reflected on the years of dedication that brought both projects to completion.
“After several years of planning, development, and construction, last week’s ribbon cutting was full of great reflection and gratitude,” Othow shared. “We hope these sites are just the beginning. It is our goal that they serve as an example for many more small-scale solar and battery projects to come that will power local electric co-ops, sustain family farms, and uplift rural communities across North Carolina.”
The two new sites are identical in size — each featuring 240 kW of solar paired with 1,000 kWh of battery storage. The systems are designed primarily for peak shaving, allowing Roanoke Cooperative to support its system during times of high demand, reduce power costs, and improve reliability for all member-owners.
Collaborative efforts on these projects began back in 2018, with full permission to operate granted in 2023. From early concept to final completion, the journey has been a testament to what can be achieved through strong relationships, technical expertise, and teamwork.
Roanoke Cooperative extends sincere thanks to the partners who made these projects possible — NCEMC, EnerWealth Solutions, Cape Fear Solar Systems, and Booth and Associates — for their commitment, collaboration, and shared vision of a more resilient energy future.
Both ribbon cuttings marked more than the completion of construction — they celebrated a shared commitment to progress and the power of partnership. Each site stands as a reminder of what can happen when innovation meets community — and how, together, we can build a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
