GreyStone to receive energy from solar energy project

GreyStone Power Corporation President/CEO Gary Miller announced today that construction is scheduled to begin on a 20 MWAC solar facility in Hazlehurst, Ga. in Jeff Davis County. The facility will be among the largest solar energy projects in Georgia. GreyStone is one of 27 Georgia electric cooperatives that will purchase the output of the planned project for a 25-year period through Green Power EMC, the renewable energy supplier for 38 Georgia Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs).

Once completed, the ground-mounted solar project will include over 87,000 solar modules and sit on approximately 135 acres. The facility is expected to generate more than 43,000,000 kilowatt hours of clean, renewable electricity annually, offsetting nearly 30,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. That number is equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions from burning nearly 32,000,000 pounds of coal or the emissions from more than 6,000 automobiles.

The project is being built by owner-operator Silicon Ranch Corporation, based in Nashville, Tenn. Construction is beginning and the facility will be ready to produce electricity in approximately six months. According to Miller, the 20 MW project will produce enough electricity to serve about 3,000 EMC households.

Miller said the Hazlehurst project is the result of a request for proposals issued in late 2013 to add more solar energy to Green Power EMC’s portfolio. The Hazlehurst project will nearly double the total renewable capacity of Green Power EMC – from the current 32 MW to about 52 MW.

“We are excited to be a part of this major expansion of solar energy in Georgia,” said Miller. “The addition of one of the largest solar projects in Georgia will allow us to provide competitively priced, renewable solar energy to our member consumers.”

Silicon Ranch Corporation is a top 15 solar owner-operator in the U.S. and provides customized solar solutions based on the needs of its customers. Silicon Ranch has been instrumental in assisting many of its customers accomplish numerous firsts in their marketplaces. Silicon Ranch also owns and operates Georgia’s largest solar farm in Social Circle, Ga.

Matt Kisber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Ranch Corporation, said, “The leadership and membership of Green Power EMC deserve tremendous credit for their vision and commitment to provide competitively priced, renewable power to their membership and to the state of Georgia. As long-term owners of our projects, we take great pride in being excellent neighbors and active members in the communities where we do business and we are excited about the benefits this project will bring.”

Green Power EMC was the first green energy provider in the state. It was created by Georgia’s EMCs in 2001 and has been selling green energy since 2003. In addition to landfill gas generation, Green Power EMC obtains green power from renewable facilities all over the state, including low-impact hydroelectric, biomass from wood waste and solar power.

EMCs that own Green Power EMC serve more than 4.1 million Georgia residents.

For more information about renewable energy efforts in Georgia visitwww.greenpoweremc.com.

GreyStone Power serves nearly 109,000 members in portions of eight counties, including Douglas, Paulding, Fulton, Cobb, Carroll, Bartow, Fayette and Coweta counties. Learn more at www.greystonepower.com.