Last week, NT Solar’s Director, Paul Holshouser, and David Clower, President & CEO of National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), joined US Solar, Governor Jared Polis, community leaders, and nonprofit partners in Aurora, Colorado to celebrate the energization of the Lowry Community Solar Projects.

Together, these seven solar installations represent more than 40 MWdc of renewable energy capacity— enough to power over 8,000 homes while offsetting emissions equivalent to burning nearly 49 million pounds of coal each year.

What makes this project especially meaningful is its direct impact on people. Nearly 5,000 low-to-moderate income households will receive utility bill savings averaging approximately $750 annually for the next 20 years, helping make energy more affordable for families throughout the region.

Equally inspiring is US Solar’s $500,000 contribution to Bridge House, an organization providing transitional housing, employment training, and critical support services for individuals experiencing hardship. The project also benefits surrounding neighborhoods by transforming land adjacent to a former landfill into a productive source of clean energy.

NT Solar is proud to partner with organizations like US Solar that share our commitment to creating measurable impact through thoughtful investment. Together, we’re demonstrating that clean energy can strengthen communities, improve quality of life, and help build a more sustainable future.

To learn more about the US Solar CO7 project, click here.

About NT Solar

NT Solar, a division of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), provides tax credit equity for renewable energy projects that deliver measurable community benefits. NT Solar specializes in community solar, energy storage, and projects that serve low-income households or are located in historically underserved areas. Visit www.nt.solar to learn more.

About US Solar

Founded in 2014, US Solar is a developer, owner, operator, and financier of solar generation and storage projects with a focus on emerging state markets and community solar programs. The company helps utilities, partners, communities and residents expand access to clean energy across the country and save on electric costs. With more than 300 Megawatts of completed projects and over 2 Gigawatts in development or construction, US Solar is trusted nationwide. Visit www.us-solar.com for more.

In partnership with the United States Solar Corporation (US Solar), a developer, owner, operator, and financier of solar generation and storage projects with a focus on emerging markets and community solar programs, NT Solar provided an equity investment in the $43.1 million in Solar Investment Tax Credits (ITC) generated by the development of the solar sites located across Colorado.

United States Solar Corporation (US Solar) was founded in 2014 and focuses on developing and operating distributed solar in key Community Solar markets in Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado. US Solar has originated over 235 million annual kWhs of community solar subscriptions with nearly 100 commercial/municipality customers and over 4,000 residential customers. US Solar has over 150 MWs of community solar under construction or in operation. As of December 2023, US Solar has produced 562 million kWh of clean energy.

NT Solar is proud to announce its first investment with United States Solar Corporation (US Solar) to support a portfolio of seven community solar projects located in Colorado. Throughout construction of the projects, NT Solar will provide an equity investment on the $43 million of Solar Investment Tax Credits (ITC) generated by the solar projects. The projects total 46 MWdc and are expected to generate approximately 90 million kWh annually — enough to power nearly 8,300 homes per year.

US Solar is committed to community-focused energy solutions. Nearly 5,000 families will receive utility bill discounts, averaging around $600 per year in savings for each household — equivalent to cutting the average utility bill nearly in half. The developer has partnered with nonprofit Energy Outreach Colorado to connect income-qualified households with those savings. Combining environmental innovation with social equity, US Solar’s portfolio supports low-to-moderate income households and transforms landfill-adjacent land into green energy hubs, and with six of the seven projects located adjacent to the Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site landfill, the project will provide a green buffer for nearby communities.

About NT Solar

NT Solar, a division of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), provides tax credit equity for renewable energy projects that deliver measurable community benefits. NT Solar specializes in community solar, energy storage, and projects that serve low-income households or are located in historically underserved areas. Visit www.nt.solar to learn more.

About US Solar

Founded in 2014, US Solar is a developer, owner, operator, and financier of solar generation and storage projects with a focus on emerging state markets and community solar programs. The company helps utilities, partners, communities and residents expand access to clean energy across the country and save on electric costs. With more than 300 Megawatts of completed projects and over 2 Gigawatts in development or construction, US Solar is trusted nationwide. Visit www.us-solar.com for more.

Originally published by Silicon Ranch Corporation 

NASHVILLE, TENN (APRIL 11, 2023) – NT Solar, a nationwide solar tax credit syndicator and investor, joined Silicon Ranch Corporation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville Electric Service (NES), and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) today to “flip the switch” on the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm, a 35-megawatt (MWAC) solar facility located in Bedford County, Tennessee.

NT Solar, a subsidiary of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC) and an affiliate of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, provided syndication and investment services for the Solar Investment Tax Credits (ITC) generated by the development through their Climate Impact and Revitalization Fund. Karin Berry, Managing Director of NT Solar, and Suzanne Brown, Interim President of NTCIC, attended the event to share in the celebration. Read more about our investment here.

“NT Solar is delighted to be part of the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm project, a testament to the powerful synergy of community and renewable energy,” said Karin. “Our collaboration with Silicon Ranch Corporation embodies our shared dedication to bolstering local economies, fortifying communities, and restoring environmental health. This project not only brings renewable energy on a substantial scale but also opens up job opportunities, prioritizing local residents and the military veteran community. It truly illustrates the impact that strategic renewable energy initiatives can have on a community, and we are thrilled to play a part.”

“The Vanderbilt I Solar Farm not only represents a major step toward our own goals at Vanderbilt but also provides a model of collaborative, forward-thinking solutions that we hope other higher educational institutions will adopt and replicate across this country,” said Daniel Diermeier, Chancellor of Vanderbilt University. “We look forward to the educational and research opportunities this project and our pursuit of carbon neutrality will yield for our faculty and students at Vanderbilt. We thank Silicon Ranch, NES, and TVA for supporting us on this bold journey.”

“TVA is proud to dedicate the first project ever developed under our Green Invest program, and we are thrilled to do so with NES and Silicon Ranch,” said Justin Maierhofer, Regional Vice President at TVA. “Together with 153 local power company partners, TVA is building the energy system of the future, and Green Invest positions us to bring together customers and renewable energy partners who are investing in communities across the Tennessee Valley.”

“As one of the eleven largest utilities in the nation, NES is committed to listening to the needs of our customers, and the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm illustrates our ability to innovate in response to help our customers achieve their desired outcomes,” said Teresa Broyles-Aplin, President and CEO of NES. “NES is proud to collaborate with Vanderbilt, TVA, and Nashville’s own Silicon Ranch to reduce carbon emissions in our region.”

“Bedford County wishes to thank Vanderbilt, Silicon Ranch, NES, and TVA for making this substantial investment in our community possible,” said Chad Graham, Mayor of Bedford County. “We are pleased to welcome Silicon Ranch, who not only built this world-class facility, but also collaborated with the Shelbyville-Bedford Partnership to support our successful efforts to bring Duksan Electera here as well.”

About NT Solar

NT Solar, a division of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), provides tax credit equity for renewable energy projects that deliver measurable community benefits. NT Solar specializes in community solar, energy storage, and projects that serve low-income households or are located in historically underserved areas. Visit www.nt.solar to learn more.

About Silicon Ranch

Founded in 2011, Silicon Ranch is a fully integrated provider of customized renewable energy, carbon, and battery storage solutions for a diverse set of partners across North America. The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the country, with a portfolio that includes more than five gigawatts of solar and battery storage systems that are contracted, under construction, or operating across the U.S. and Canada. Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in its portfolio and has maintained an unblemished track record of project execution, having successfully commissioned every project it has contracted in its history. Silicon Ranch has the largest utility scale agrivoltaics portfolio in the country under Regenerative Energy® its nationally recognized holistic approach to project design, construction, and land management. This model incorporates regenerative ranching and other regenerative land management practices to restore livelihoods and soil health, biodiversity, and water quality. In 2021, Silicon Ranch acquired Clearloop, which helps businesses of all sizes reclaim their carbon footprint with a direct investment in building new solar projects while helping to bring renewable energy and economic development to distressed communities. To learn more, visit siliconranch.com and clearloop.us.

About Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies, serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation, and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.

About Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a globally renowned research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Ranked No. 13 among national universities, Vanderbilt offers an immersive living-learning undergraduate experience, with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education, and human development. The university also is home to nationally and internationally recognized graduate schools of law, education, business, medicine, nursing, and divinity and offers robust graduate-degree programs across a range of academic disciplines. Vanderbilt is committed to inclusive excellence, drawing the world’s brightest students, faculty and distinguished visitors from across all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and provides a collaborative atmosphere of discovery that drives positive change in the world. Learn more at www.vanderbilt.edu.

About Nashville Electric Service (NES)

Nashville Electric Service (NES) is the 11th largest public electric utility in the nation, distributing energy to more than 420,000 customers in Middle Tennessee. For more information, visit nespower.com or nespowernews.com.

July 15th, 2022 Washington, DC: This past month, NT Solar continued a series of successful solar tax credit investments with returning partners Silicon Ranch Corporation, Summit Ridge Energy, and Kearsarge Energy, including an expansion of a previous investment from earlier this year.

The recent closing of three large-scale investment portfolios through NT Solar’s Climate Impact and Revitalization Fund (CIRF) will generate over $57 million in solar investment tax credits (ITCs) and support the installation of six project sites with an installed capacity of nearly 70 Megawatts (MW DC) of energy across four states.

Together, these installations will generate an estimated 95 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean energy each year, offsetting the use of 45 million pounds of coal and enough to power nearly 10,000 homes annually.

Summit Ridge Energy – Partnership 10 Expansion

NT Solar financed an additional three installations, expanding on an investment from earlier this year. These additional installations in Illinois are projected to generate over $7.5 million in solar tax credits and will provide renewable energy to thousands of residential users, each saving up to 10% of traditional energy providers. The installations are anticipated to be complete and in operation by 2022 and will generate an additional 10.75 Gigawatts hours (GWh) each year. The Partnership 10 portfolio includes a 9.2 MW DC site in Maryland, the largest rooftop community solar installation in the state. To learn more about Summit Ridge Energy, visit www.srenergy.com.

Silicon Ranch Corporation – Bell Buckle Installation

In collaboration with returning partner Silicon Ranch Corporation, one of the nation’s largest carbon-free independent power producers, NT Solar provided tax credit financing for the $30 million solar investment tax credits generated by the 337-acre site. The nearly 35 MWac installation will generate over 68 GWh of renewable energy each year. Construction of this large-scale installation will support more than 100 construction jobs, with a preference given to applicants from the Bedford County area and military veteran community. Once operational, the project will supply power to Vanderbilt University and is projected to offset approximately 70% of Vanderbilt’s annual Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of enough power to serve more than 5,000 homes per year. In addition to these benefits, the project provides long-term tax revenues for the local community and new educational opportunities for faculty and students.

Silicon Ranch will keep the land housing the Bell Buckle Installation in agricultural production post-construction through holistic planned sheep grazing under its Regenerative Energy® approach to solar farm design, construction, and land management. This approach marries grassland restoration and regenerative agriculture practices with renewable energy production on one piece of land to restore soil health and biodiversity, promote and control vegetation, and sequester carbon to enrich the soil. Holistic planned sheep grazing mimics the way grassland ecosystems and large herds of native grazing animals have interacted over millennia. To learn more, visit siliconranch.com, regenerativeenergy.org, and clearloop.us.

Kearsarge Energy – SUU Portfolio

NT Solar financed a portfolio of two installations located across Massachusetts and Rhode Island that is projected to generate over $16 million in solar tax credits. The Massachusetts installation will be paired with battery storage, and both projects will provide power to local communities and municipal off-takers savings on their conventional utility bills that can help support a variety of community services. The installations are anticipated to be complete and in operation by the end of 2022, will have an installed capacity of 13.3 MW DC, and will generate an estimated 17 GWh of renewable energy each year, enough to fully power 1,400 homes annually. To learn more about Kearsarge energy, visit kearsargeenergy.com.

For investment information, please use our Contact Form or email Hello@NT.Solar

Washington, D.C. – November 19, 2021: NT Solar has continued a series of successful solar investment tax credit (ITCs) financing with returning partners Summit Ridge Energy and Kearsarge Energy with the recent closing of two large-scale portfolios. NT Solar’s Climate Impact and Revitalization Fund (CIRF) investments will generate over $31 million ITCs and support the installation of six projects with an installed capacity of over 30 Megawatts (MW) of energy across five states.

Together, these installations will generate an estimated 1,500 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of clean energy over their project’s lives. This clean energy will offset nearly 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of burning 1.17 billion pounds of coal or the consumption of over 118 million gallons of gasoline annually.

Summit Ridge Energy – Bomber & Speedway Portfolio

NT Solar financed a portfolio of two community solar installations located in Maryland and Illinois that is projected to generate over $12 million in solar tax credits. The community solar installations will provide renewable energy to thousands of residential users, each saving up to 10% of traditional energy providers. The installations are anticipated to be complete and in operation by 2022 and will generate 11.7 Megawatts (MW) and, at 9.2 MW DC, the Bomber site will be the largest rooftop solar installation in Maryland. To learn more about the project, click here.

To learn more about Summit Ridge Energy, visit srenergy.com.

Kearsarge Energy – Northeast Portfolio

NT Solar financed a portfolio of four installations located across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island that is projected to generate over $23 million in solar tax credits. The installations will include a variety of environmental and innovative aspects, including brownfield remediation, the utilization of land on a capped landfill, and the incorporation of battery storage for energy production. The off-takers include municipalities that will achieve savings on their conventional utility bills that can help support a variety of community services. The installations are anticipated to be complete and in operation by the end of 2021 and will have an installed capacity of nearly 19.4 Megawatts (MW). To learn more about the portfolio, click here.

To learn more about Kearsarge Energy, visit kearsargeenergy.com.

For investment information, please use our Contact Form or email Hello@NT.Solar

This May, NT Solar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), announced two successful Solar Tax Credit financial closings, including our largest investment to date.

In partnership with the Silicon Ranch Corporation, one of the largest solar developers in the United States, NT Solar financed over $67 million in solar tax credit investments for an installation spanning nearly 600 acres in Calhoun County, Georgia. This is NT Solar’s largest tax credit investment to date and was made possible through NTCIC/NT Solar’s newly established Climate Impact and Revitalization Fund (CIRF).

Once completed, the installation will generate nearly 114 Megawatts (MW) of power and will be purchased by one of the largest electric cooperatives in the country, which currently supplies energy to over 133,000 customers in northeast Georgia. The installation site will use a regenerative approach to the installation site, allowing agricultural and animal grazing alongside the panels.

The developer’s partner, Regenerative Energy describes the process as “adaptively-managed grazing animals, diverse native plants, pollinator habitat, and wildlife work together to revitalize the soil, enhance biodiversity and resilient ecosystems, sequester carbon in the soil, and strengthen rural economies.”

NT Solar also financed a $5.6 million solar tax credit investment to support a large-scale, SMART community solar canopy and battery storage installation in Lancaster, Massachusetts, led by developer Lodestar Energy. Once operational, the installation will generate 5.6 MW of power, generating over 6 million Kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy for its user base, which includes regional schools and residential homes. You can read more about the Lodestar Nationwide portfolio here.

These two investments will begin operation in 2021 and will produce nearly 220 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, the clean energy equivalent of consuming over 172 million pounds of coal or 360 thousand barrels of oil annually.

Continued Growth of the Solar Industry

The U.S. solar market surpassed 100 gigawatts (GWdc) of installed electric generating capacity, doubling the size of the industry over the last 3.5 years, according to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q2 2021 report, released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie.

Solar had a record-setting Q1 2021 and accounted for 58% of all new electric capacity additions in the United States. The U.S. solar industry installed 5 GW of new capacity in Q1 2021, a new Q1 record, and a 46% increase over Q1 2020.

About Silicon Ranch Corporation

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Silicon Ranch is the U.S. solar platform for Shell and one of the largest independent solar power producers in the country. Their mission is to bring communities across the country low-cost, renewable energy, economic growth and development, job opportunities, and partnerships they can count on for the life of their solar projects. Follow Silicon Ranch Corporation on LinkedIn and Twitter for updates or learn more at siliconranch.com.

About Lodestar Energy

Founded in 2014, by Jeff Macel and Jaime Smith, Lodestar Energy’s goal is to develop great solar energy projects that are environmentally, socially, and financially successful. Since that time, Lodestar has successfully completed more than 30 projects with a combined value of more than $200 million dollars, which offset more than 53,000 tons of CO2 and power the equivalent of more than 13,000 homes annually.

For investment information, please use our Contact Form or email Hello@NT.Solar

Washington, D.C. – March 15, 2021 – NTCIC promoted Karin Berry to Managing Director of NT Solar, a subsidiary of NTCIC.

As Managing Director, Ms. Berry serves as the primary business development and relationship manager for solar tax credit investors and project sponsors. She leads the NT Solar team in originating, structuring, and closing solar tax equity investments across the country.

“Karin has been an invaluable part of building NT Solar’s platform and played a pivotal role in growing our capital base and pipeline of prospective investment opportunities, even during the challenges of the past year,” said NTCIC President Merrill Hoopengardner.

Ms. Berry has been instrumental in the acquisition of new institutional investor relationships, enabling the financial closing of more than $40 million in solar tax credit investments in the last six months. As the industry adjusted to the impacts of COVID-19, she has positioned NT Solar to grow dramatically over the coming year.

Ms. Berry joined NT Solar as VP and Manager of Renewable Energy in 2015, bringing fifteen years of experience in the renewable energy industry. She was previously responsible for over $1 billion in solar investments across the country. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Samford University and a master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas, Austin.

For investment information, please use our Contact Form or email Hello@NT.Solar