Solar energy provides sense of independence, control to West Virginia native

SPRING MILLS -- When Charleston native Robert Fernatt received a job opportunity in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in 2017, he and his wife began making plans to move to the other side of the state, in the Eastern Panhandle. He had one major requirement for his future home -- that it be ideal for solar energy panel installation. After looking at a number of options, he found exactly what he had been searching for in Spring Mills.

"The roof needed to be southerly facing, and it needed to be new," Fernatt said, noting it would be problematic if the roof needed replaced before the solar panels did. "We also needed to make sure that we would have a home owners association that would be easygoing and open to clean energy."