Charlotte, N.C. – Pine Gate Renewables is pleased and honored to dedicate Freedom Solar in Dillon County, S.C., to the Whitney M. Slater Foundation. This dedication is in partnership with Duke Energy Progress as part of their Shared Solar Program, which launched in July.
Duke Energy’s Shared Solar Program provides South Carolina residents with the option to enroll in solar energy and is part of a larger effort to continue the renewable energy growth in South Carolina. The program will allow customers who don’t own their residence or are unable to put a solar facility on their property to be involved with renewable energy.
The 7.12-megawatt (DC) farm supplying the solar energy to the program’s subscribers is one of 12 Pine Gate solar facilities in South Carolina and generates enough energy to power roughly 1,167 homes annually. “We are excited for the opportunity to provide clean, solar energy for
Duke Energy’s Shared Solar Program, to be present in the Dillon County community and to form meaningful relationships with the landowners on this farm,” said Pine Gate’s Landowner Relations and Community Development Manager Brittany Staszak.
The dedication will take place during Freedom Solar’s ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 28, where the site will officially be renamed to the Whitney M. Slater Shared Solar Facility.
Whitney, who passed away from breast cancer at the early age of 21, had a mission to provide environmental health education, to expand breast cancer awareness, and make it possible for qualified young people to receive scholarships. In 2012, the foundation was created to continue Whitney’s mission and aspirations.
“I think it’s wonderful. Whitney would be flabbergasted,” said her mother Loretta Slater. “She would be amazed at this solar farm being dedicated to her. Even before she got sick, she was always helping people. And this solar farm is like a light shining, showing that her work wasn’t in vain.” Through the dedication, Pine Gate Renewables hopes to bring attention to environmental issues and to the Whitney M. Slater Foundation’s mission.