Silicon Ranch’s Lambert Solar Farm

Georgetown County, South Carolina is witnessing a rural revival through clean energy. The Lambert Solar Farm, a 250 MW energy infrastructure project from Silicon Ranch, is transforming 3,200 acres of former timberland into an economic engine for the community. The project has been in the works for a long time. In 2020, Silicon Ranch contracted with local utilities Santee Cooper and Central Electric Power Cooperative, which will pay for the generated solar power. Reagan Farr, co-founder and CEO at Silicon Ranch, told Inside Climate News that it was “a very heavy lift to get through the permitting process. But because of the collaboration with the community, the third project was a very streamlined effort.”

The project was made up of three phases. Phases one and two, which will be completed this year, consist of 200 MW of solar power capacity; and is estimated to bring more than 200 construction jobs to Georgetown County. In December, the county council approved an extension of over 1,000 acres to continue into phase three of the project where an additional 50 MW will be added next year. This phase is expected to add another 200 craft labor jobs. Local hiring is an essential part of the company’s plans.

The benefits go far beyond just construction jobs. Silicon Ranch will invest $200 million into the area to provide clean power and enhanced grid resiliency, with another $60 million budgeted for the final phase. The company will pay over $20 million in local taxes over the project’s 40-year lifetime, providing critical revenue for schools, infrastructure, and public services. This represents a stable, long-term economic foundation that doesn’t fluctuate with market conditions like traditional industries often do.