Goodwill Going Green with One of Region’s Largest Solar Projects

Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, in partnership with Piedmont Environmental Alliance (PEA) and Renewable Energy Design Group, is proud to announce that construction has started on one of the largest rooftop solar projects in the Triad region—a 400 kw rooftop array atop Goodwill’s headquarters on University Parkway in Winston-Salem. The solar project represents a historic milestone for Goodwill and PEA’s Green Business Network, a group of 31  mission-aligned area business and service-based nonprofits committed to future-proofing our local economy with clean energy and green job growth.

The solar array is expected to produce nearly 600,000 kilo-watt hours of renewable energy in its first year, enough to power the equivalent of 43 homes. 180 tons of climate-warming pollution will also be avoided annually,  and more than one-million dollars in operations costs will be saved over the coming decades—funds that will be reinvested into employment and training programs that help people find hope, opportunity, and jobs. Of particular note, this very installation will create paid training opportunities for graduates of a clean energy workforce program that Goodwill has hosted at its headquarters since the fall of 2024.

“This solar project embodies our commitment to sustainability—not just as a value, but as a strategy to power our work and our community, in every respect,” said Barbara Maida-Stolle, President & CEO of Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina.

“This project is a powerful example of what’s possible when nonprofits, community leaders, and forward-thinking federal policies come together,” said PEA’s Executive Director, Jamie Maier. “We are just so proud of our Green Business Network partnership with Goodwill. Working with them on this project is a true honor.”

Forsyth County-based clean energy company Renewable Energy Design Group (RED Group), founded in 2012 by Jeff and Cynthia Redwine, will lead the design and construction of the project:

“This solar installation generates power for good. RED Group is excited and honored to partner in this project and to bring more clean, renewable, and sustainable electricity, training, and opportunities to our community.”

Piedmont Environmental Alliance
Piedmont Environmental Alliance (PEA) is a Winston-Salem based nonprofit that  is committed to a more just, resilient, and environmentally sustainable Piedmont Triad. Since its founding twenty years ago, PEA has been effecting change by educating and empowering students, convening diverse groups of community stakeholders and leaders, and influencing elected officials on the most pressing environmental and climate justice imperatives. Over the past 18 months alone, PEA and its Green Business Network partners have sparked more than $6M of new clean energy investment locally. Learn more about PEA’s work at peacnc.org.

Renewable Energy Design Group
Renewable Energy Design Group (RED Group) is the Carolinas’ leading solar installation contractor serving residential, commercial, and non-profit organizations. Its Forsyth County-based team of local, certified experts has delivered world-class solar and battery energy storage installations since 2012. RED Group is led  by Jeff and Cynthia Redwine and Melvin Jewett and, like Goodwill, is a proud member of PEA’s Green Business Network. Visit www.redgroupnc.com for more information.