According to Birch Creek Energy Chief Operating Officer Chris Norqual, over the life of the solar farm, the company anticipates delivering approximately $12 million in tax revenue to Marlboro County. (File photo).
BENNETTSVILLE — Birch Creek Energy recently announced it is planning to expand its operations to Marlboro County by developing a 75MW solar energy facility to grow its operations in the Southeast.
“Cloudless Solar” is a solar and battery storage project being developed by Birch Creek Energy. According to company officials, once operational, the project will generate 74.9 MW ac — enough clean energy to power approximately 14,000 homes annually. The energy produced will be delivered to Duke Energy Progress, supporting the region’s power needs. Commercial operation of the project is targeted for 2029, officials said.
“The announcement of Birch Creek’s solar farm in Marlboro County is the result of nearly a year of close collaboration with the County’s Economic Development Department,” said Birch Creek Energy Senior Project Development Manager, Ben Stockdale. “We’re proud and grateful to share the mutually beneficial agreement we’ve reached — one that reflects Birch Creek’s commitment to investing in Marlboro County and the County’s commitment to long-term economic growth. This project is a testament to what can be achieved through thoughtful partnership and we thank everyone who helped make it possible.”
Birch Creek Energy was founded in 2019 by a team of seasoned solar industry executives, established to seize the growing opportunity in utility-scale solar. Since its inception, the company has developed 51 utility-scale solar projects totaling 1,500 megawatts (MW) across the United States.
“Available product, infrastructure and a talented workforce were key ingredients for this announcement,” said Marlboro County Council Chairman, Anthony Woods. “We would like to welcome Birch Creek Energy to the Marlboro County Community and we look forward to a long a prosperous working relationship.”
Birch Creek’s senior management team brings decades of experience, having financed or developed solar projects in nearly every state nationwide. Today, the company is actively developing over 10 gigawatts (GW) of solar and energy storage projects.
According to Birch Creek Energy Chief Operating Officer Chris Norqual, over the life of the solar farm, the company anticipates delivering approximately $12 million in tax revenue to Marlboro County — all without placing additional demand on local services such as roads, sewer, schools, or emergency services.
“Today’s announcement is proof that Marlboro County is open for business and has acres of opportunity which makes Marlboro County an ideal location for any industry looking to locate here,” said Marlboro County Economic Development-Executive Director, Tonny McNeil. “We would like to welcome Birch Creek Energy to our community and we look forward to working with them.”