Creating New Opportunities
for Communities
We are proud to be a part of the growing solar industry that provides new revenue for communities, creates jobs and generates affordable, clean power.
What is a utility-scale or distributed solar project?
A solar project is a site that hosts an array of solar photovoltaic modules, which are secured to ground-mounted metal racks.
The power generated at solar facilities is fed into the electric grid, providing clean and affordable energy to communities.
Development Cycle
Proven Track Record and Process for Success
1. Select site and customer
2. Design and permit
3. Buy equipment and finance
4. Construct
5. Interconnect
6. Operate and maintain
Good Neighbors
Our Good Neighbor Commitment
We seek to establish sustainable relationships with our community partners. We focus our community engagement efforts on four focus areas: Environmental Sustainability, STEM Education and Workforce Development, Economic Development and Community Investment, and Veterans Initiatives.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND STEM EDUCATION
Investing in the Solar Energy Workforce
We partner with technical and community colleges across the US to create, support and promote solar job training, with a focus on bringing more women, minorities and veterans into the industry. Our aim is to strengthen the U.S. energy workforce through proactive investment in job training and workforce development through scholarships, guest lectures, in-field classroom experiences and equipment donations.
We also provide funding for k-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming, through partnerships with school districts where our projects are located. By contributing to STEM programming, we strive to empower the next generation of the solar energy workforce.
CASE STUDY
Cypress Creek Launches Scholarship Program for High School Seniors
In 2023 we launched the Energizing Tomorrow’s Leaders scholarship program, awarding $1,000, one-time scholarships to 35 graduating high school seniors in counties across the United States. The scholarships can be used for tuition, housing, or books/materials for 4-year, 2-year or certificate training programs at a university or community college. Our goal is to help young people be successful and learn more about exciting opportunities in the growing field of solar, renewable energy and other STEM-related fields.
CASE STUDY
Cypress Creek Partners with Betabox Learning to Bring Hands-On Learning Experiences to K12 Schools in Wayne and Duplin County Schools
In North Carolina we partnered with Betabox Learning, a leading provider of mobile STEM educational experiences to bring hands-on learning experiences directly to students. Through this partnership, more than 800 students will have the opportunity to learn about renewable energy, electronics engineering, and sustainable technology through interactive and engaging experiences. The intention of this program is to spark interest in high-paying technology careers in the solar industry amongst middle and high school students.
CASE STUDY
Cypress Creek Brings Renewable STEM Education to Klamath Falls, Oregon
Cypress Creek has partnered with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to bring renewable energy educator workshops, renewable energy curriculum development and interactive classroom science kits and materials to Klamath County School District. The partnership will provide high-impact classroom experiences that will benefit the next generation of solar leaders.
CASE STUDY
Cypress Creek Announces Partnership with Mott Community College
Cypress Creek has joined forces with Mott Community College to invest in Michigan’s solar energy workforce. The initiative establishes a Solar Program Fund at Mott Community College with a $20,000 grant from Cypress Creek Renewables. The new fund will assist Mott Community College in developing programming around renewable energy coursework, as well as providing scholarships for students pursuing careers in solar energy. Cypress Creek’s grant will focus on providing assistance to women, veterans and ensuring a diverse and inclusive workforce.
“We are thrilled to launch our first partnership with a solar company and specifically with Cypress Creek, a national leader in solar. As solar grows across Michigan, our community will be prepared to fill these jobs.”
Learn More about Our Other Workforce Development Partnerships
Environmental Sustainability
Taking Care of the Environment Is Part of the Job
Cypress Creek develops programs and supports organizations that work to conserve natural resources for future generations.
As part of our Solar + Pollinator Initiative, we plant native, pollinator-friendly plants within many of our solar farms to provide foraging habitat for important pollinator insects and species in critical need of our protection.
Co-locating pollinator friendly vegetation on solar farms can bring benefits to nearby agricultural activities which are dependent upon pollinator services.
Following a year-long pilot program, Cypress Creek has committed to designing 100% of the solar farms we develop in the state of New York as pollinator-friendly.
Case Study
Cypress Creek Renewables Announces Maryland’s First Solar Array Inspired by Maryland’s Pollinator-Friendly Solar Legislation
In 2017, Cypress Creek announced Maryland’s first pollinator solar array inspired by Maryland’s statewide legislation supporting pollinator-friendly solar sites. We have planted species of native long-stemmed and short-growing flowers that support pollinators, including bees and birds. The site is also unique in that it hosts honey-producing beehives. Energy produced at Baker Point solar facility in Frederick, Maryland is used to power National Geographic’s headquarters and the Capital One Arena, both in Washington, DC.
VETERANS INITIATIVES
Empowering Veterans to Enter the Solar Industry
Cypress Creek works to give back to programs that support our employees and neighbors that make our world safer. As a part of our Workforce Development and STEM Education program, we seek to provide training for future solar work in active or emerging markets
Case Study
Veterans Healing Farm
Located near our Asheville office in Hendersonville, NC, the Veterans Healing Farm has a mission “to serve our nation's veterans by growing and donating high-quality fruits, vegetables, and flower bouquets to veterans and their caregivers free of charge.” Our employees have volunteered twice at the farm, preparing the land for planting and surfaces for painting.