CBS This Morning: Learn More about the South Carolina Landowner and Project featured in the CBS Interview

Last week, CBS This Morning joined us at our Gaston solar farm in Swansea, 20 miles South of Columbia, South Carolina. Meet the landowner behind the project, Wannelle Witt Lefkowitz. Wannelle is a lifelong resident of Lexington County and is a huge Clemson Tigers fan.

Wannelle decided to partner with Cypress Creek Renewables on this solar farm and lease her land because she believes in the importance of using renewable energy sources for the future and saw the benefits that building this solar farm would have for both her and the Lexington County community.

Wanelle and her husband, Marty, at Gaston solar farm.

This 10-megawatt project is currently under construction. Once operational, Gaston solar farm will generate enough energy for 1,000 homes and will provide $2.2 million in property taxes to the surrounding community over the life of the project. Wannelle shared why she decided to lease her land for solar, telling us, “This property has been in my family for three generations. The long-term lease will help ensure that the property will stay in my family for my children and grandchildren while helping to provide for my retirement. I am also pleased that having this solar farm on my property will greatly increase the tax base and provide much needed revenue that can be used to improve the infrastructure and services for this small rural town in which I grew up. I can think of no better use for this property and no better company with whom to work.”

We’re proud to partner with Wannelle, using her land for this solar farm, to bring low-cost, clean energy to Lexington County and South Carolina, and investing in a renewable energy future.

If you missed it earlier this week, be sure to check out this CBS This Morning story on the impact of the solar tariff on the solar industry.