Black & Veatch has been selected by Silicon Ranch Corp. to build a sprawling, 125 MW AC solar array in Lee County in southwestern Georgia. Once construction is completed later this year, the DeSoto I Solar Farm will be among the biggest solar installations in the Southeast.

Nashville-based Silicon Ranch developed and is funding the project and will own, operate and maintain it for the long-term, a disciplined approach the company takes with every project it develops.

“As renewable energy continues to progress in a world rapidly focusing on decarbonization, this effort further demonstrates how carbon footprints can be minimized without disrupting the surrounding ecosystem,” says Paul Skurdahl, Black & Veatch’s senior vice president of renewable solutions. “This project aligns with our proven record of innovative approaches to delivering clean, affordable energy.”

DeSoto I will integrate Silicon Ranch’s trademark Regenerative Energy land-management model, which co-locates solar energy production with regenerative agriculture practices. Once construction is complete, Silicon Ranch will restore the land to a functioning grassland ecosystem while keeping the project in agricultural production through managed sheep grazing using regenerative land management practices.

“As the long-term owner and operator of our projects, Silicon Ranch is committed to supporting the communities we serve, and we’re pleased to work with Black & Veatch to execute this vision in Lee County,” states Reagan Farr, Silicon Ranch’s co-founder and CEO. “Thousands of Georgia residents have already helped us build more than a dozen world-class facilities in the region, and we will work with Black & Veatch and our partners in Lee County to recruit local talent for DeSoto I as well.”

Image: Photo by Jadon Kelly on Unsplash