DeSoto I project to be among largest in the Southeast US, emphasizes safeguarding of agricultural ecosystem
Black & Veatch announced today that it has been selected by Silicon Ranch Corporation to build a sprawling, 125-megawatt (MWAC) solar array in Lee County in southwestern Georgia. Once construction is completed later this year, the DeSoto I Solar Farm will be among the biggest solar installations in the Southeast.
Nashville-based Silicon Ranch, one of the nation’s largest independent solar power producers, developed and is funding the project and will own, operate and maintain it for the long-term, a disciplined approach the company takes with every project it develops.
“As renewable energy continues to progress in a world rapidly focusing on decarbonization, this effort further demonstrates how carbon footprints can be minimized without disrupting the surrounding ecosystem,” said Paul Skurdahl, Black & Veatch senior vice president of renewable solutions. “This project aligns with our proven record of innovative approaches to delivering clean, affordable energy.”
DeSoto I will integrate Silicon Ranch’s trademark Regenerative Energy® land-management model, which co-locates solar energy production with regenerative agriculture practices. Once construction is complete, Silicon Ranch will restore the land to a functioning grassland ecosystem while keeping the project in agricultural production through managed sheep grazing using regenerative land management practices.
“As the long-term owner and operator of our projects, Silicon Ranch is committed to supporting the communities we serve, and we’re pleased to work with Black & Veatch to execute this vision in Lee County,” Silicon Ranch Co-Founder and CEO Reagan Farr said. “Thousands of Georgia residents have already helped us build more than a dozen world-class facilities in the region, and we will work with Black & Veatch and our partners in Lee County to recruit local talent for DeSoto I as well.”
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Editor’s Notes:
- The 2021 Engineering News-Record (ENR) Sourcebook ranks Black & Veatch’s power business No. 1 for solar power services.
- Black & Veatch has been delivering solar photovoltaic (PV) project development and implementation since 1973.
- The company provides siting and permitting, design, independent and owner’s engineering, operations and maintenance (O&M), integration with transmission networks and full engineering, procurement and construction solutions to global clients seeking to deploy solar technologies.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2020 exceeded US$3.0 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.
About Silicon Ranch Corporation
Founded in 2011, Silicon Ranch is a fully integrated provider of customized renewable energy, carbon, and battery storage solutions for a diverse set of partners across North America. The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the country, with a portfolio that includes more than 4 gigawatts of solar and battery storage systems that are contracted, under construction, or operating across the U.S. and Canada. Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in its portfolio and has maintained an unblemished track record of project execution, having successfully commissioned every project it has contracted in its history. In recognition of its holistic approach to land management, which the company has trademarked Regenerative Energy®, Silicon Ranch was named 2020’s “Most Forward-Thinking” company by Solar Power World. Silicon Ranch pioneered utility-scale solar in Georgia and remains a market leader, with nearly 2 Gigawatts across the state. To learn more, visit siliconranch.com and regenerativeenergy.org and follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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