Groundbreaking Chaberton
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Chaberton Energy develops sustainable infrastructure and renewable projects, with a primary focus on distributed energy generation and community solar projects. Our Team Solar Energy Contact
April 13, 2022 – (North Bethesda, MD) – Chaberton Energy Holdings Inc. (“Chaberton”) broke ground on two co-located solar projects in West Friendship, Maryland (Howard County) (the “Friendship Projects”). The Friendship Projects represent 6.25 MWDC of new solar energy capacity. Chaberton and SunEast Renewables LLC (“SunEast”) co-developed the projects and Chaberton then purchased the projects from SunEast in 2021.
Chaberton was joined by many stakeholders at the Friendship site for a groundbreaking ceremony on April 7th, 2022. Among others, there were several representatives from Howard County, including County Executive Calvin Ball and members of the county council, Loyola University Maryland, Forum Energy Partners (“Forum”), Chaberton’s general contractor, and Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company (“Greenbacker”), who is in contract to purchase the projects and will be the owner and operator.
“These Projects provide significant positive benefits to the local community, and we are excited to see them come to fruition” said Calvin Ball, Howard County Executive. “This project, paired with our historic solar power purchasing agreement which will power more than 75% of the County’s operations, put us on track to exceed our environmental and energy independence goals. Now is our time, and now is our chance to make Howard County the leader in clean solar energy.”
“Friendship Solar Farm is a phenomenal example of the kind of progress that we can make when local government partners with the private sector to begin tackling our climate crisis in a collaborative manner,” said Councilwoman Christiana Rigby. “I am so grateful to Chaberton Energy and all the partners who brought this project to life.”
The Projects have received all necessary permits, completed all commercial agreements, received key equipment on site, and mobilized the construction contractors. The Friendship Projects are expected to reach Commercial Operation later in 2022.
One of the Friendship Projects is a Community Solar farm, the output of which is being offered to subscribers in the BG&E territory by Chaberton’s partner Neighborhood Sun and is fully subscribed. The output of the second project is dedicated to Loyola University Maryland via a Power Purchase Agreement.
The Friendship Projects will utilize over 15,000 solar panels on approximately 23 acres of privately-owned land, representing over $10 million of capital investment. The Projects will employ a pollinator-friendly habitat, bringing further benefits to the surrounding farms and the Maryland eco-system. Lease payments from the Project will allow the landowners to continue farming the remainder of their property, helping to assure the continued viability of their agricultural operations.
“The SunEast and the Chaberton teams have worked diligently for the past several years to develop this state-of-the-art renewable generation to benefit electricity consumers in the State of Maryland. We are excited to see Chaberton take these Projects forward through construction and into operation” said Reed Wills, COO of SunEast Development.
About Chaberton Energy
Chaberton Energy develops renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure projects. Chaberton Energy primarily develops distributed solar generation assets in the mid-Atlantic and in the Western U.S., from origination to ready-to-operate. Chaberton Energy is funded by Greenbacker Development Fund, is based in Maryland and has over 300 MW of active projects in development. For more information go to www.chaberton.com
Contact:
Angelica Johnson || Chaberton Energy, Business Operations Manager
angelica.johnson@chaberton.com
About Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company
Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is a publicly reporting, non-traded limited liability sustainable infrastructure company that acquires and manages income-producing renewable energy and other energy-related businesses, including solar and wind farms. We seek to invest in high-quality projects that sell clean power under long-term contract to high-creditworthy counterparties such as utilities, municipalities, and corporations. We are long-term owner-operators, who strive to be good stewards of the land and responsible members of the communities in which we operate. We believe our focus on power production and income generation creates value that we can then pass on to our shareholders—while facilitating the transition toward a clean energy future. For more information, please visit www.greenbackercapital.com.
Contact:
Chris Larson || Greenbacker, Senior Writer & Media Communications
chris.larson@greenbackercapital.com
About Forum Energy Partners
Forum provides best-in-class services to owners of solar and energy storage projects in North America. Our services include late-stage development and pre-construction support, owner’s engineering, onsite construction management, QA/QC and safety oversight, and turn-key EPC services. Forum has assisted owners with over 8,000 MWs of projects since 2017, our team is currently engaged as construction manager and/or owner’s engineer on over 3,800 MWs of active projects, and we have constructed over 100 MWs as EPC. Collectively, Forum’s team brings over $17B of project experience. https://www.forumepcm.com/.
Contact:
Graham Evarts || Forum Energy Partners, Vice President of Business Development
About Loyola University Maryland
Loyola University Maryland is a Jesuit, Catholic university committed to the educational and spiritual traditions of the Society of Jesus and the development of the whole person. Anchored in Baltimore, Maryland, the University educates approximately 3,800 undergraduate and 1,350 graduate students. Loyola offers more than 40 undergraduate and seven graduate programs through its three schools: Loyola College of Arts and Sciences, the Sellinger School of Business and Management, and the School of Education. Loyola inspires students to learn, lead, and serve in a diverse and changing world, graduating educated, fulfilled, ethical leaders who are driven to better the world around them with their talents and compassion. For more information, visit www.loyola.edu.
Contact:
Tracy Harvey || Loyola University Maryland, Sustainability Program Director
About SunEast Renewables
SunEast Renewables LLC is a privately-held solar development company owned by SunEast Development LLC and an investment fund advised by New Energy Capital Partners, LLC (NEC). NEC is a leading alternative asset management firm which invests across the capital structures of small and mid-sized clean energy infrastructure projects and companies. SunEast Renewables LLC and its affiliates are based in Malvern, PA. SunEast was founded in 2012, and to date, has more than 1.2 GWs of solar projects under development in the PJM, NYISO, and ISO-NE markets. For more information go to www.suneastdevelopment.com
Contact:
Reed Wills || SunEast Renewables, Chief Operating Officer