During last Friday’s solar HVAC reveal at Murray State University’s West Farm, Fredonia native and Hutson School of Agriculture rising sophomore Ellie McGowan served as part of the welcome wagon for Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and several other noted dignitaries.
A third-generation family farmer and the granddaughter of Caldwell County Magistrate District 1 Elbert Bennett and wife, Linda, McGowan will be among some of the first Racers to embrace and learn about the new agri-tech and agri-voltaics installation — which could change the trajectory of renewable energy and self-sustained farming in the Commonwealth.
A graduate of Crittenden County High School in 2019 and former volleyball star for the Lady Rockets, McGowan addressed her Murray State experiences thus far in a keynote speech alongside classmates in Union County natives Mallory White and Maddie Clements — on what the technology means for the college.
The raised solar array is among the first such projects at Murray State University, and will primarily serve as the main throughput for climate control at West Farm’s shop on College Farm Road in Murray. Among the project collaborators included the MSU Hutson School of Agriculture, the Kentucky Energy & Environment Cabinet, Gree Commercial, Beck’s, Helena, Sunway Energy Solutions and Jim McBee’s Heating & Air LLC, as well as MSU Dean of Agriculture Tony Brannon.
Energy & Environment Secretary Rebecca Goodman noted the market is shifting to greener options for the nation’s future energy needs, with more than 900,000 jobs in solar expected to be available in the United States by 2035.
And farming will certainly need power, with food stores and demands rising alongside population.
McGowan chose Murray State to hopefully tackle those, and many other, future farming fundamentals.
For more information about MSU’s Hutson School of Agriculture, visit murraystate.edu online.
