Clearloop is launching three new solar projects, totaling 18 megawatts (MWdc) in partnership with the local power company, Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA) and with the support of the local economic development group, the Panola Partnership.
The three projects will prevent over 1 billion pounds of carbon (CO2) from entering the atmosphere. Not only will these projects result in clean energy construction jobs, the investment in infrastructure often results in the biggest tax infusion for a community in generations.
The three projects will generate enough renewable, cost-effective energy to power approximately 3000 homes annually.
Clearloop, the carbon solutions platform accelerating decarbonization and expanding access to clean energy in American communities that can benefit the most, showcased its vision in action as more than 30 companies from across the country pulled together to cut their carbon footprint by investing in the first solar project to be developed in Panola County, Mississippi—a community at the cross-section of the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian Foothills. The 6.6-megawatt (MWdc) Panola I Solar Farm is the first of three solar projects launched by Clearloop, in partnership with the local power company, Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA) and with the support of the local economic development group, the Panola Partnership. Combined, the three projects will prevent over 1 billion pounds of carbon from entering the atmosphere and generate enough renewable, cost-effective energy to power approximately 3,000 homes annually.
Clearloop is directly using funds from these 30+ diverse organizations to help cut their carbon footprint by supporting the development of new solar projects that will inject renewable, carbon-free electricity into the local grid for the next 40 years.
Our first solar project, we’re excited to help expand access to clean energy in our home state by working with companies of all sizes to clean up the electricity grid in Jackson, TN.
Jackson, TN ties the largely rural communities between Memphis and Nashville together and serves as the hub for all commerce, healthcare, and education for the area. The Jackson community is diverse, with nearly half of the population identifying as African American. Though it’s been identified as a Distressed Community by the Economic Innovation Group, the city is already embracing the economic and health benefits of the clean energy economy.
The Clearloop solar project site is located in an industrial area of the county across the road from the Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jackson which will be a key component in the creation of a local workforce development program for electricians and other trades in the area that will be prepared to join the clean energy economy.
In Jackson specifically, 37 watts reclaim 1 metric ton of carbon (CO2) based on the grid dirtiness. The project, which will guarantee clean energy to the community for the next 40 years, is slated to break ground on September 2, 2021, and generate clean electricity by July 1, 2022.
Turning on something as simple as a light switch has a more drastic impact in Jackson than in other parts of the country. In Jackson, 1038.60 lbs of carbon (CO2) are currently emitted per Megawatt Hour (MwH) of electricity generated. Compare that to California, where the exact same activity releases 786 lbs of C02 per MegaWatt Hour. By expanding access to clean energy, we are narrowing this disparity across the country, one community at a time.
Currently, a big part of Tennessee’s electricity is generated by fossil fuels, which create pollution and have a negative impact on the environment. By investing in solar capacity and expanding access to clean energy, we can clean up the grid and take advantage of our most abundant resource– the sun! Tennessee is a Sun Belt state, after all.
The Distressed Communities Index (DCI) examines economic well-being at the zip code level in order to provide a detailed view of the divided landscape of American prosperity. While Jackson is distressed, the city is already embracing the economic and health benefits of the clean energy economy.
The Jackson community is diverse, with nearly half of the population identifying as African American.
50.5% Black or African American; 45.2% white, non-Hispanic; 1.8% Hispanic or Latino
Check back often for updates, highlights, and insights into the progress we’re making towards decarbonization and expanding access to clean energy in the Mississippi Delta.
Let’s do this. Join us in making carbon a relic of the past by investing in one of our upcoming projects. Use our calculator to input any number of solar panels, pounds of carbon, dollar amount, or number of watts you’d like to contribute to help us continue our mission to expand access to clean energy and clean up the US grid.
Invest: $153
Build: 435 watts of solar capacity
Reclaim: ~26,000 lbs. of CO2
Invest: $208
Build: 592 watts of solar capacity
Reclaim: ~35,000 lbs. of CO2
Average American is 16 metric tons*
June 29, 2021
July 28, 2021
August 5, 2021
September 2, 2021
October 2021 – May 2022
July 1, 2022
End of life of solar project
*Images/Renderings shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the project.
Community Partnerships
Focused on community partnerships, Karina is responsible for engaging with community and national partners to amplify the social and economic benefits of Clearloop’s solar projects. Karina is a strong believer that the renewable energy transition in the United States is a prime opportunity to create a more equitable energy grid, especially within the South. She loves to meet new people, see new places, and better understand the many diverse and valuable perspectives that Clearloop’s partners and community members hold. Karina is a Nashville, Tennessee native and a graduate of Vanderbilt University.
Commercial Partnerships Manager
As our Commercial Partnerships Manager, Emily is focused on identifying, building, and maintaining relationships with Clearloop’s corporate partners and helping them reach a wide range of ESG and sustainability goals. She is also tasked with creating and managing a sales engine that is capable of scaling with Clearloop. Emily’s work directly supports the needs of Clearloop’s growing partnership base and the company’s vision for rapid and equitable decarbonization of the U.S. electricity grid.
COO & Co-Founder
Bob Corney cut his teeth on local political campaigns in the late 1980s, embarking on a three decade career spanning politics, public service and public affairs with stints in the White House, Tennessee State Capitol and corporate C-suites. In addition to leading partnerships across Clearloop, he leads efforts to expand the ambition of corporate climate action through academic, institutional and advocacy efforts. At the core of this work is a common sense focus on decarbonizing the US electric grid, expanding access to clean energy for all and ensuring robust and tangible economic and social benefits in the communities currently getting left behind in the clean energy transition.
Corney has lived in Nashville on and off since childhood and makes it home once again with his wife and children.
CEO & Co-Founder
Laura Zapata has made a career in crisis communications and reputation management having worked in Congress, political campaigns, and Uber. She’s now helping companies reach their net-zero and ESG goals with tangible climate action and ensure that the environmental, health, and economic benefits of new solar projects reach American communities getting left behind.
Zapata is a strong believer that solar can do more if we’re intentional about the communities where we invest and is eager to tap into the economic power of more companies as they seek to tackle their carbon footprint and strive for an equitable clean energy transition. Zapata immigrated from Colombia, was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a graduate of Dartmouth College.
Policy Research Director
As Clearloop’s Director of Policy Research, Bahaa is responsible for supporting solar project development by researching regulatory, interconnection, and permitting processes. He works closely with the rest of Clearloop’s and Silicon Ranch’s leadership team to build the investment case for its solar project pipeline and collaborating with the community relations teams to build support for solar generation.
Chief Development officer Silicon Ranch + Clearloop Chairman
As Silicon Ranch’s Chief Development Officer and Chairman of Clearloop, Boris is charged with leading the future growth of Silicon Ranch by expanding its project inventory into new markets and use cases across the U.S., and by advancing new product offerings around the company’s carbon solutions business Clearloop and its agrivoltaics solution Regenerative Energy. His role helps bridge together the unique offerings of Silicon Ranch, Clearloop and Regenerative Energy to meet growing customer climate ambitions and deliver tangible environmental, social, and economic impact for our customers and the communities in which we work.
Founding Chairman
A big believer that there are lots of ways of getting things done. Phil Bredesen is a former Nashville Mayor, Tennessee Governor, CEO, and a successful serial entrepreneur. As mayor of Nashville, Bredesen founded the Land Trust for Tennessee, which has protected more than 126,000 acres to date. As Governor, Phil Bredesen helped establish Tennessee’s largest conservation effort since the dedication of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, saving 127,000 acres in the Cumberland Plateau. As a businessman, Bredesen founded Silicon Ranch, one of the largest solar Independent Power Producers in the country. Today, Governor Bredesen is using his experience in the public and private sector to help build Clearloop as a helpful tool for companies of all sizes to make their climate investments have tangible social and economic benefits in communities across Middle America.
Head of Marketing
As Head of Marketing, Meram El Ramahi leads our marketing, communications and branding strategies, working closely with cross-functional teams within Clearloop and Silicon Ranch Corporation to drive growth, amplify our brand, and support our corporate carbon partners. With 20 years of experience leading marketing strategy and executing multi-faceted marketing campaigns in the energy sector, Meram’s expertise and work supports the company’s vision for rapid and equitable decarbonization of the U.S. electricity grid and helping maximize the environmental, social, and economic impact of solar development for communities across our country.