That’s the message Mike McKechnie and Eric Mathis hope to share in Mingo County. McKechnie is bringing knowledge, experience and equipment from his Berkeley Springs-based Mountain View Solar & Winds. His destination is the historic Mountaineer Hotel, a Williamson landmark since 1925 that also serves as the headquarters for the JOBS (Just Open Businesses that are Sustainable), led by Mathis.

McKechnie was scheduled to speak April 1 to a group of southern West Virginia officials, contractors and electricians on the financial benefits of renewable energy construction.

“We’re talking about creating jobs in Williamson,” Mathis said. “We’re getting a lot of interest from local businesses, and we’re hoping this will be a demonstrative project for this area.”

There’s no reason that can’t happen, according to McKechnie, who said his Eastern Panhandle business has grown steadily since he expanded into solar panel and wind-related projects.

“We want to spread the word to all parts of West Virginia,” McKechnie said. “Building contractors have been hit so hard by this recession. It’s been a terrible thing for a lot of us, but building contractors can be busy. I know that because we are busy. We’ve hired six employees in the last few months, and we’re going to be hiring more this summer. If we can do it, others can, too.”

The workshop, he said, is geared for everyone from government officials and contractors to material supply companies.

“We want this to be model, a good example of what can happen,” he added of the grant-funded Smart Office project.

While in Williamson, McKechnie will demonstrate a solar site analysis and estimate. Considerations will include the available space, priorities, budget and site potential for solar electric generation gain.

“We’re going to serve as a consultant, but we want to use local contractors to do the work,” he added. “We want them to see this as something they can do. It’s more affordable now because the cost of the materials is coming down and the government subsidies.”