Bowman Solar Project in Orangeburg County now online

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The 101-megawatt Bowman Solar Project solar farm in Orangeburg County is now online.

Construction on the 849,940-panel project, developed by solar energy contractor Pine Gate Renewables, began in the second quarter of 2019. It will generate enough energy to power approximately 14,413 homes, according to a news release.

“I’m so proud of our team for their dedication to this project, and for all the hard work behind creating a solar farm of this size and scope,“ Chris Dunbar, Pine Gate Renewables’ chief construction officer, said in the release. “Like all our projects, the Bowman solar farm brings jobs, tax revenue and green energy to the local community, and vastly expands Pine Gate’s ever-growing renewable footprint in the Carolinas.”

The Bowman project is the 17th in South Carolina for Pine Gate, based in Asheville, N.C. The projects have raised more than $539 million in capital and generated nearly $1 million in personal property taxes for local communities, according to the release. The company has dozens more projects in development.

The Bowman project features a distinctive Pine Gate feature in the incorporation of wildlife-friendly permeable site fencing.

Financing for the Bowman project was provided by John Hancock, CIT and U.S. Bank. Chicago-based Carbon Solutions Group is purchasing the renewable energy certificates generated by the Bowman project through 2029.