SolRiver Capital, a national solar investment fund, today announced the completion of Whitetail Solar, an innovative 14 MW utility-scale solar project in Dillon County, South Carolina. The project creates a biodiversity sanctuary amongst the solar panels. SolRiver partnered with NARENCO, as the installer, to take the development plans from paper to environmentally friendly solar energy generation.
Whitetail Solar will produce over 25 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually, which is enough to power over 2,100 homes and the equivalent carbon sequestration as planting nearly 300,000 trees. However, the project does more than generate energy. Whitetail incorporates a Biodiversity Plan deploying numerous features designed to help maintain a sustainable environment.
The project includes:
- Permeable fencing allowing animals to access the area as a habitat and forage resource;
- Pollinator seed mix to maintain healthy soil;
- A designated tree conservation area and wetland preservation area; and
- Bat, warbler, and owl boxes to provide additional roosting sites for the area’s wildlife.
Whitetail Solar demonstrates how solar projects can benefit the surrounding ecosystems while providing energy. SolRiver is dedicated to the transition to renewable energy and strives to bring clean energy access to individuals across the country. “This is the first project where we implemented a Biodiversity Plan. It proves utility-scale development can be done in a way that preserves and even enhances the habitat on which it is located,” said Brandon Conard, Partner at SolRiver Capital. “The Whitetail project provides a blueprint for expanding our projects to benefit the surrounding environment in addition to generating solar energy.”
