April 13, 2023
Silicon Ranch Corp. joined Vanderbilt University, Nashville Electric Service (NES) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to “flip the switch” on the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm, a 35 MWac facility positioned in Bedford County, Tennessee.
First introduced in 2020, the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm is the results of a landmark settlement as the primary mission contracted below TVA’s nationally acknowledged Green Invest program, which matches demand for inexperienced power from various business, industrial and institutional prospects with new utility-scale solar initiatives positioned within the Tennessee Valley.
Nashville-based Silicon Ranch developed and funded the mission and employed greater than 250 craft staff to construct the solar facility. The firm will even function the long-term proprietor and operator, a disciplined strategy Silicon Ranch takes with each mission it develops.
“The Vanderbilt I Solar Farm demonstrates what is possible when we work together with a shared vision for the region, and Silicon Ranch is grateful to Vanderbilt for its leadership and to TVA and NES for their strong support of this meaningful renewable energy investment in Bedford County,” mentioned Matt Kisber, cofounder and chairman of Silicon Ranch. “I am a proud alumnus of Vanderbilt, as are many of our colleagues, and we are thrilled to dedicate this meaningful project today.”
As each the landowner and operator, Silicon Ranch will stay invested in and dedicated to the continued success and financial viability of the encompassing neighborhood. The firm invested greater than $50 million to put in the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm, and over time to return, the mission will generate hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in new tax income for Bedford County to help native infrastructure and colleges, amongst different community-identified priorities.
“The Vanderbilt I Solar Farm not only represents a major step toward our own goals at Vanderbilt, but also provides a model of collaborative, forward-thinking solutions that we hope other higher educational institutions will adopt and replicate across this country,” mentioned Daniel Diermeier, chancellor of Vanderbilt University. “We look forward to the educational and research opportunities this project and our pursuit of carbon neutrality will yield for our faculty and students at Vanderbilt.”
In 2022, Silicon Ranch additionally donated 30 acres of its mission web site to the town of Shelbyville and Bedford County to help the recruitment of Duksan Eletera America Inc. Later that 12 months, Gov. Bill Lee joined state and native officers to welcome Duksan Electera, which is investing $95 million to find its first manufacturing facility in North America, which can create greater than 100 new jobs.
“TVA is proud to dedicate the first project ever developed under our Green Invest program, and we are thrilled to do so with NES and Silicon Ranch,” mentioned Justin Maierhofer, regional VP at TVA. “Together with 153 local power company partners, TVA is building the energy system of the future, and Green Invest positions us to bring together customers and renewable energy partners who are investing in communities across the Tennessee Valley.”
The solar facility represents a major step by Vanderbilt University towards the bold purpose it introduced in 2019 to power its campus solely by way of renewable energy and turn into carbon impartial by 2050. The renewable era from the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm will offset roughly 70% of Vanderbilt University’s annual Scope 2 greenhouse gasoline emissions, or the equal of sufficient power to assist serve greater than 6,000 properties for one 12 months.
“As one of the 11 largest utilities in the nation, NES is committed to listening to the needs of our customers, and the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm illustrates our ability to innovate in response to help our customers achieve their desired outcomes,” mentioned Teresa Broyles-Aplin, president and CEO of NES.
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Tags: business and industrial, Nashville Electric Service, Silicon Ranch Corp., The Tennessee Valley Authority, Vanderbilt University
