Silicon Ranch Corp. has awarded Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives Inc. (IEA), a contract to build the Cedar Springs Solar Ranch, Early County, Ga. The 70 MW AC solar project will supply power to Green Power EMC (renewable energy supplier for 38 Georgia electric co-ops).
Silicon Ranch will finance the Cedar Springs Solar Ranch’s installation and will also own and operate the array. Silicon Ranch’s wholly owned subsidiary, SR EPC, has awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to IEA Constructors, a wholly owned subsidiary of IEA. Construction is expected to begin by the end 2022’s first quarter and to be completed by the end 2020.
“IEA is excited to continue its strong partnership with Silicon Ranch, a true pioneer in the solar energy space,” says Joe Broom, IEA’s senior vice president of solar construction operations. “We look forward to utilizing local skilled labor to help safely and efficiently complete construction of the Cedar Springs Solar Ranch project, while bringing additional clean energy options to the people of Georgia.”
IEA’s scope of work includes the installation of owner furnished modules and full balance of system EPC construction, including all civil, mechanical and electrical work. The 1,400-acre site is located in rural southwest Georgia. More than 215,000 First Solar Series 6 module will be installed.
“The Cedar Springs Solar Ranch is our latest opportunity to showcase some of the special qualities that make Georgia such a great place for business, including its renowned workforce,” states Reagan Farr, Silicon Ranch’s co-founder and CEO. “Early County holds many firsts for Silicon Ranch, including the first-ever new build facility to incorporate our Regenerative Energy model for land management with White Oak Pastures. We are pleased to partner again with IEA and White Oak Pastures to build on this legacy, and we thank our partners at Green Power EMC, as well as the Early County Board of Commissioners, for making this meaningful investment possible.”
Silicon Ranch will restore agricultural production to the land that houses the Cedar Springs Solar Ranch. It will manage sheep grazing around solar panels and use other regenerative pastureland management techniques via its Regenerative Energy platform. Silicon Ranch will restore the land’s functioning grassland ecosystem by using regenerative practices. It will also provide additional benefits for the region such as carbon sequestration and improved water quality.
“Four Georgia electric cooperatives will share in the power generated by this new facility which will produce enough clean energy to help serve more than 11,000 households,” comments Jeff Pratt, Green Power EMC’s president. “In addition to adding more low-cost solar power to our members’ renewable energy portfolio, we are proud that this project will create job opportunities and support economic development in Early County.”