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L'Oréal USA in Northern Kentucky Home To Large Solar Array

BILL RINEHART / WVXU

A new, large solar power plant in Kentucky is on a rooftop in Kenton County. L'Oréal USA Plant manager Nicole Frey said the company has installed 4,140 solar panels to reduce its carbon footprint.

"That equates to over a thousand metric tons of carbon that will not be introduced into our air, 2.4 million miles traveled by passenger cars, and the array will provide the Florence facility with 1.42 megawatts of renewable solar power," Frey said at a ribbon cutting Wednesday morning.

She said the panels have a life-span of about 30 years, and during that time will generate enough electricity to power 5,000 homes for a year.

Scenic Hill Solar installed the panels. CEO Bill Halter of Scenic Hill Solar expects other companies and utilities will soon be building large scale arrays as well.

"Because we've reached a point where solar power is as cost competitive or more cost competitive than other alternatives," Halter said. "That's because this is an underlying technology that doesn't have any fuel costs. Nobody's charging you for the sunshine. And nobody's going to charge you over the next 30 years for that sunshine." 

His company installed solar panels on the L'Oréal plant in Arkansas, making it the third largest array in that state.

Frey said in 2013, L'Oréal committed to reducing its carbon footprint, reducing water use, and reducing waste all by 60 percent. She said the company reached its carbon reduction goal four years ahead of schedule.

© 2017 WVXU

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