In November 2023, local sheep farmer Matt English moved his flock to the Energix Pamplin Solar Project site located on U.S. 460 West between Cavalier Lane and Morning Star Road.

The site is managed and leased by Energix, a renewable energy company that operates in the USA, Israel and Poland that began this project four years ago. The land is owned by a local family, and English is contracted with Energix to do all of its vegetation maintenance. The site measures approximately 130 acres, and is surrounded by fence and divided into two tracts.

The solar agriculture project is a revolutionary undertaking in the local area as well as statewide. It is one of 15 operational Energix projects in Virginia, and was one of its first. The investment is funded by Energix, which owns all equipment at the site.

“We’re super excited to be one of the first farmers ever to be on a solar site and on the first solar site in Appomattox County,” said English, of EZ Energy Solutions LLC.

English, who was raised in Appomattox County, descends from a long family tradition of farmers that extends through multiple generations. As he explained, the family’s farming roots were in tobacco but eventually switched over to livestock, namely sheep and cattle.

There’s more to this in the current issue of the Times Virginian newspaper. Support local journalism by purchasing the issue at a local newsstand or subscribing at www.timesvirginian.com/subscriber_services to receive the print edition or view the full article in the e-edition version.