Sandhills Energy, LLC

At our most recent groundbreaking ceremony, Curt Atkins, General Manager at Waverly Utilities (WU), called the soon-to-installed facility “a bright prospect for Waverly’s future,” and shared how the community of Waverly values the potential for grid diversification. “As fossil fuel resources become more challenging for the electric industry, WU must continue to diversify its energy portfolio and seek resources that are clean, plentiful, and cost-effective,” he said. “This large-scale solar array will be a model of what can be accomplished.”

We are grateful for the support we've received from the Indianola community. Indianola Municipal Utilities General Manager, Chris DesPlanques, and Electric Superintendent, Mike Metcalf, are just a few of the individuals who've gone above and beyond to ensure the success of these projects. Letters to the Editor like this one show us we're on the right path. https://lnkd.in/gse8kqMr

Engaging the community is essential to adding solar energy to the rural grid. We’re humbled by the positive press highlighting the benefits and support for our projects in Indianola and Waverly, Iowa. Thank you to all of our partners who helped make these projects happen.

According to the latest report from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), solar jobs in the U.S. surged by 6% in 2023, adding over 15,000 new positions. These figures come from IREC’s 14th annual National Solar Jobs Census, bringing the total number of full-time solar workers to nearly 280,000. When including individuals who spend less than half of their time on solar, the total rises to over 360,000 workers. Additionally, when energy storage workers are included, the total reaches more than 450,000 workers. Learn more about the report at https://lnkd.in/gfM4pe-s.

Our community solar projects in Iowa and Colorado, in partnership with MEAN (Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska), have been awarded a combined $19 million in funding through the USDA’s PACE Program. This funding, similar to our Nebraska projects, includes a significant loan with a forgiveness component. The forgiven loan amount will be passed on to rate-payers, reducing power costs for towns like Fort Morgan and Yuma, Colorado, as well as Indianola and Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. Our President, Eric Johnson, recently met with White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden, US Trade Representative Ambassador Doug McKalip, and USDA Rural Development RUS Administrator Andy Berke to discuss the importance of these projects. Discover all the details about the new PACE Program funding in the USDA's press release.

Our ground-breakings in Iowa were the first step toward paving the way for greater energy self-sufficiency and a stronger, more resilient grid for the communities of Indianola and Waverly, Iowa. We'll continue to work hand-in-hand with Indianola Municipal Utilities (IMU) and Waverly Utilities (WU) to ensure the solar projects provide optimal benefits for the rural communities. https://lnkd.in/gU2AqJGz

On September 25th, we'll break ground on two new solar projects in Indianola and Waverly, Iowa. These projects, each exceeding 4 MW, are part of our ongoing collaboration with the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska to boost renewable energy and promote energy independence across the Midwest. Read the entire press release on our blog. https://lnkd.in/gZRKGEPt

The USDA’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) Loan Program supports renewable energy projects by making it easier for rural communities to take advantage of renewable energy. These PACE loans finance large-scale projects such as our utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage systems, and they are typically awarded to communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer. As part of the PACE program, loans are partially forgivable, effectively writing off a portion of the loan amount for the local utility. The $30 million in PACE program funding we recently received for our Nebraska solar projects includes a forgiveness component, and the loan will be used to reduce the cost of power in those communities. That means we're passing all savings to ratepayers in Alliance, Ansley, Crete, Gering, Imperial, Pender, Sidney, and Stuart.

We're about a month away from the 17th Annual Nebraska Wind & Solar Conference. Our President, Eric Johnson, and Executive Vice President, Raki Giannakouros, will be part of the breakout session: A Bright Idea for Solar Development in Rural Communities. This discussion will be in the afternoon on Tuesday, October 22. Register by October 15 to be part of this discussion and many others. https://lnkd.in/erKBWNn6

We prioritize environmental stewardship in all our projects, and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) are essential to meeting those goals. From site selection to construction, we partner with experts like Terracon to conduct thorough EIA to identify, predict, and mitigate any potential environmental impacts. Here are just a few considerations in an EIA: ? Ambient noise and vibration ? Human health and safety ? Plant and animal biodiversity ? Potential pollution to the soil, water, and air ? Regional considerations for land, crops, and income