The Baileys Trail solar systems generate energy equal to what would otherwise require burning 100 barrels of oil, and their reduction of CO2 emissions is equivalent to planting 1,068 trees or 34 acres of forest. Grid-tied solar systems automatically feed power into a house, send excess electricity to the electric grid, and earn utility bill credits for the kilowatt-hours produced, which can be used when the system is not producing as much electricity. In this region, coal miners worked for decades to supply the coal that powered the nation's cities and towns, but jobs declined as automated extraction methods such as strip mining and mountaintop removal increased. The transition to solar has become an important part of the regional economy, with solar in Appalachia presented as a non-extractive energy resource, a growing modern manufacturing sector, and a source of gainful jobs.