Colorado-based SolRiver Capital recently announced that it has broken ground on the Longleaf Solar Project in Davie County, marking a significant economic boost for North Carolina. The 6.7-megawatt utility-scale solar installation is expected to add over 95 construction jobs to the local workforce and power more than 1,000 homes annually when it becomes operational later this year.
One of SolRiver’s investment strategies is to acquire projects ranging from distributed generation portfolios to utility-scale assets. SolRiver acquired this project in the development phase which it completed through work on engineering management, permitting, and equipment procurement. Then, the renewable investment firm finally brought the project to Notice to Proceed, notifying contractors to begin construction. Riley Sullivan, executive vice president at SolRiver Capital, explained, “When we purchased the Longleaf project, it wasn’t quite ready to build yet. Fortunately, we have a good playbook for wrapping up development and getting projects built.”
The Longleaf Solar project will utilize ‘safe-harbor’ panels purchased and stored in North Carolina warehouses since 2023, demonstrating the supply chain and logistics operations that support the growing clean energy sector. The project represents growing confidence in North Carolina’s renewable energy market, with SolRiver steadily expanding its footprint in the Carolinas.
Longleaf Solar is SolRiver’s 12th project in the Carolinas, with its portfolio in the region approaching 100 megawatts. The company is simultaneously developing the 6.7 MW Williams Solar Project, which is expected to come online around the same time, create 95 jobs, and provide power for over 1,000 North Carolinian homes annually.
Some of the company’s prior projects in the state include:
- The 6 MW McLean Renewable Energy Project, which became operational in June 2023 and created more than 85 jobs
- The 7.25 MW Washington Renewable Energy Project, which became operational in October 2023 and created more than 105 jobs
- The 6.7 MW Elk Renewable Energy Project, which became operational in December 2023 and created more than 200 jobs
- The 6.7 MW Gray Fox Solar Renewable Energy Project, which became operational in December 2023 and created more than 100 jobs
- The 4.3 MW Harding Renewable Energy Project, which became operational in December 2023 and created more than 65 jobs
The Longleaf Solar project demonstrates how clean energy investments yield multiple economic benefits beyond the immediate construction jobs. This facility will generate 11,807,800 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy annually while avoiding 9,093 tons of carbon emissions. Across the country, SolRiver has thus far produced 345,404 MWh of energy and avoided 407,348 tons of carbon emissions.
Longleaf Solar is part of a broader pattern of clean energy investment that creates economic opportunities across North Carolina. “We’ve been active in this market since 2019 and are happy to add more assets to the mix in North and South Carolina,” noted managing partner Brandon Conard. Nick Gazzolo, a partner at SolRiver Capital, previously stated, “North Carolina is an attractive market for us. Our team has been a trusted partner to a number of developers trying to navigate the state’s utility-scale solar market and we’re proud to have helped a number of projects get from early-stage development to construction and operation.”
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