Jeff Dykes, president and CEO of BrightRidge Electric, shares how the Tennessee-based public power utility partnered with Silicon Ranch to develop solar projects under TVA's Generation Flexibility Program, enabling BrightRidge to deliver renewable energy while lowering costs for customers and funding STEM and tech programs in local schools. Focused on community service over profit, the utility also engages students in energy education and supports local economic growth. These projects have improved grid reliability and exemplify how renewable energy partnerships can generate widespread community benefits.

Jim Malooley, Director of Agrivoltaics Operations at Silicon Ranch, joins host Nick de Vries to discuss the innovative intersection of solar energy and regenerative land management. Jim shares how he went from running his own sheep farm to leading a team that oversees sheep grazing across three large solar ranches in Georgia. He dives into the unique challenges of managing flocks on solar sites—including shifting lambing schedules, fine-tuning nutrition, and using the sheep's natural behavior to control vegetation. Jim also highlights Silicon Ranch’s cutting-edge facilities and research collaborations aimed at improving genetics and parasite resistance, offering a scalable model for revitalizing the U.S. sheep industry.

On this episode, host Nick de Vries is joined by Winston Vaughan, head of climate policy at Clearloop, Silicon Ranch's Carbon Solutions platform. Winston shares insights into Clearloop's innovative business model, which helps businesses of all sizes reclaim their carbon footprint by commissioning new solar projects in American communities where significant economic and environmental benefits can be achieved. We discuss the evolving landscape of carbon accounting and the concept of carbon blindness, highlighting how our approach to emissions can shape the strategic rollout of renewable energy for decades to come.