A nonprofit aims to ignite an energy revolution, turning former coal mines into utility-scale solar farms

Former mining sites have long been known for their appalling environmental scars. Might that change soon? The Nature Conservancy, an environmental nonprofit, is repurposing the surface land of Virginia coal mines into utility-scale solar farms, reports The Washington Post. High aerial shots reveal the scale of the project underway, with six mining sites actively being outfitted for solar production. The push comes after The Nature Conservancy purchased more than 250,000 acres of Appalachian land, part of an effort to ignite a mining-to-solar revolution in a region thirsty for economic development. With U.S. coal mining jobs at an all-time low, some Virginians see an opportunity to diversify their economy and simultaneously preserve their state’s legacy of being a valuable energy producer. As Lou Wallace, board of supervisors chairperson for Russell County, put it, “We’re still able to say we’re keeping the lights on somewhere.” —Alex Hinton