DEC. 21, 2015 | Cypress Creek Renewables, a company that specializes in the ownership and development of long-term solar energy projects, has taken first steps toward investing $8 million in a solar energy project in Allendale County. The project, which is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2016, will create 40-60 jobs during construction.
“Team South Carolina has worked extremely hard to create a business environment that companies from all industries, and from all over the world, can take advantage of and thrive in,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “Cypress Creek’s continued investment in our state proves that those efforts have paid off, and we look forward to seeing the impact that the renewable energy industry will have in Allendale, and across the state.”
The Allendale County solar facility will be located off of Highway 301 in Allendale, S.C. and will produce eight megawatts of energy at full capacity. Eight megawatts of solar energy is enough to provide inexpensive, secure, clean energy to approximately 1,600 South Carolina homes.
“Allendale County is proud of the diverse array of industrial investment in our area, and we are pleased to have another ‘green’ energy company investing in our community,” said. Allendale County Council Chairman James Pinkney. “We look forward to working with Cypress Creek Renewables in 2016 and beyond.”
In October, Cypress Creek announced that it was investing $66.8 million in six new Hampton County solar projects. Read more here.
The solar projects in both counties are in the South Carolina Lowcountry Promise Zone, which is managed by the economic development organization SouthernCarolina Alliance.
“SouthernCarolina Alliance appreciates the investment that the Cypress Creek Renewables project will bring to Allendale County,” SCA Chairman Buddy Phillips said. “We welcome the company as a great addition to our renewable energy sector.”
With offices in Arizona, Missouri, New York and North Carolina, as well as Los Angeles and San Francisco, Calif., Cypress Creek Renewables strives to make solar power economically attractive to utilities and consumers. Primarily focused on two to 10 megawatt utility scale projects, Cypress is working with regulators, utilities and business development groups throughout the United States to build more than one gigawatt of new solar projects between now and the end of 2016.
The company is working in partnership with Southern Current, which is the newly-merged entity comprised of long time development partners Sustainable Energy Solutions and Solbridge Energy. Southern Current oversees local development activities including site identification and acquisition, obtaining necessary permits and coordinating with the utilities amongst other due diligence activities. Together, they have received economic development approvals for a facility in Allendale County, which is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2016.
