Press ReleaseApril 22, 2026MSFT

Ever.green Brings Microsoft Suppliers Together to Power a New Solar Project in Rural North Carolina

📰 The Announcement — Powering Change in North Carolina

A group of major Microsoft suppliers successfully financed the completion of "Baron," a 5-megawatt (MW) solar project in rural Anson County, North Carolina. 🌞

The key players were Ever.green, a clean energy marketplace, and the developer, Headwater Energy. A cohort of Microsoft's trusted partners—including Slalom Consulting, Centific Technologies, and ImagiCorps—all committed to buying long-term Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to fund the project.

👉 This collective action provided the necessary financial commitment to secure the project’s financing, bringing the new clean energy source online.

💡 Company Context — Microsoft’s Green Mandate

In simple terms, Microsoft is setting a very high bar for its entire supply chain. They implemented a Supplier Code of Conduct that requires large suppliers to transition to 100% Carbon-Free Electricity (CFE) by 2030. ♻️

This isn't just a suggestion; it's a structured corporate mandate forcing thousands of smaller companies to clean up their energy use and reduce carbon emissions.

👉 By participating, these suppliers aren't just meeting a corporate goal—they are proving their commitment to their own clients, employees, and partners, who are also pushing for sustainability.

📊 The Details — How It Gets Funded

New solar projects often face a huge hurdle: financing. 🚧 Banks and lenders typically require massive amounts of proven, contracted revenue before they will fund construction. If buyers aren't committed, even viable projects can stall forever.

Ever.green helps solve this problem using "High-Impact RECs." Unlike spot-market credits bought from existing solar farms, these specific RECs are designed to guarantee the revenue developers need to make the finance deal work for new construction.

👉 In short, the suppliers' purchase of these guaranteed credits was the essential piece of the puzzle that allowed Baron Solar to finally be built.

🤝 Strategic Angle — Supply Chains as Drivers of Change

This entire announcement is a perfect example of how corporate sustainability commitments move beyond simple PR and become powerful economic drivers. 💰

For the Microsoft suppliers, buying these RECs is an integral part of their business strategy. John Poling of Slalom noted that because they are "deeply embedded in their supply chains," their environmental choices impact their client’s choices.

👉 Their commitment proves that sustainability isn't a cost center; it's a core component of risk management and long-term business success.

🌍 Impact & Community Context — Beyond the Megawatts

The impact of the 5 MW Baron Solar project stretches far beyond just clean electricity. The project generates new property tax revenue for Anson County, which can support local schools and emergency services. 🏥

Environmentally, the solar farm will avoid roughly 7,810 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually—the equivalent of taking about 1,820 cars off the road every single year. 🚘

👉 Furthermore, the electricity goes into the regional cooperative system (Pee Dee Electric), helping stabilize the local energy supply mix and reducing risk from volatile fuel prices for the entire community.

🚀 What's Next — The Race to Net Zero

This successful project marks a significant step toward meeting ambitious climate goals. For the participating suppliers and Ever.green, the path now involves continuous action: enabling more developers to secure financing and bringing more clean power online by the 2030 deadline.

Ever.green continues to act as the central hub, empowering businesses of all sizes (like Stripe and Atlassian, who also use their service) to meet their own sustainability targets by investing in projects like Baron.

🧠 The Analogy — The Soccer Match Analogy

Think of bringing a solar farm to market like a professional soccer match. The solar developer (Headwater Energy) has all the talent and the field (the solar panels and land), but they are missing the final piece: the star player (the committed buyers/financing).

Ever.green, acting as the specialized coach, knew which "star players" (the Microsoft suppliers) were ready to make the critical, high-stakes play (buying the RECs) needed to win the game (secure the loan and build the farm).

🧩 Final Takeaway —

Corporate sustainability commitments are becoming integrated financial tools. They prove that environmental responsibility can be a key driver that unlocks tangible local infrastructure projects, transforming global mandates into local community power.

Original release

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Ever.green Brings Microsoft Suppliers Together to Power a New Solar Project in Rural North Carolina

By purchasing High-Impact RECs through Ever.green, a cohort of Microsoft suppliers are contributing to new clean electricity generation in Anson County, NC

April 22, 2026 09:00 ET

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Ever.green

ANSON COUNTY, N.C., April 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ever.green, a clean energy marketplace empowering businesses of all sizes to participate in the energy transition, today announced the completion of Baron, a 5 megawatt (MW) solar project in Anson County, North Carolina. The project was developed and will be owned and operated by Headwater Energy. A group of Microsoft suppliers, including Slalom Consulting, Centific Technologies, ImagiCorps, BDA, Eleven 11 Solutions, TASA Analytics, and Visionet Systems, signed long-term contracts for renewable energy certificates to support the new solar project in reaching financial close, delivering on Microsoft’s Carbon-Free Electricity expectations. Microsoft’s Supplier Code of Conduct expects select large-scale Microsoft suppliers to transition to 100% carbon-free electricity (CFE) for goods and services provided to Microsoft by 2030. “Through our Supplier Code of Conduct sustainability expectations, Microsoft aims to enable large and small suppliers to take action to reduce their carbon emissions,” said Edmond Chan, Group Sustainability Manager at Microsoft. Projects like Baron are often difficult to bring to market. Many small and mid-sized solar projects face a common structural challenge. While the economics may work on paper, lenders typically require significant contracted revenue before financing construction. Without committed buyers, otherwise viable projects can stall before reaching financial close. Together, the participating Microsoft suppliers committed to a volume of renewable energy credits that collectively was sufficient to help move this new project forward. Unlike annually-procured, spot-market RECs (which are typically purchased from existing projects), Ever.green’s High-Impact RECs are designed to provide the revenue certainty developers need to secure financing for new projects, enabling buyers to play a direct role in bringing additional carbon-free electricity online. “Ever.green was designed specifically to make this kind of collective action possible. We’re one of the few organizations that empowers companies of all sizes to advance their carbon-free electricity goals by acquiring High-Impact RECs that have real impact at the community level,” said Liz Pearce, Chief Revenue Officer at Ever.green. “Slalom and the other Microsoft suppliers are ideal examples of corporate buyers that are driving real community impact because it's in their own interest, as well as the interest of their clients, employees, partners and other stakeholders.” “We're a consulting partner to thousands of clients, and we are deeply embedded in their supply chains, so we realize our environmental footprint extends well beyond our Slalom office doors,” said John Poling, Managing Director, Client Leadership, Carolinas at Slalom. “What that means is our choices impact their choices. Because of that, we're committed to 100% renewable energy by 2030, and this solar project in North Carolina is a big part of that commitment.” “Baron Solar is a great example of how innovative contracting structures can unlock projects that might not otherwise move forward,” said Myles Watson, COO at Headwater Energy. “By working with Ever.green and this group of committed buyers, we were able to secure the revenue certainty needed to bring this project to life.” Baron Solar is now generating clean energy in Anson County, a rural, low-income community 45 miles southeast of Charlotte. The project represents a meaningful long-term investment in the county, generating new property tax revenue that supports schools, emergency services, and other essential public functions. Built with domestically manufactured panels and local labor, the project will avoid roughly 7,810 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, the equivalent of removing approximately 1,820 cars from the road each year. The electricity produced by Baron Solar is delivered into the regional cooperative system that serves Pee Dee Electric, helping meet the energy needs of the broader community in which the project is located. By adding a source of generation with no fuel cost, the project contributes to a more stable and predictable supply mix over time. While individual projects do not determine retail electricity rates, projects like Baron Solar can help reduce exposure to fuel price volatility and support more stable long-term energy costs across the cooperative system. About Ever.green Ever.green is the trusted marketplace for buying and selling High-Impact RECs. Its mission is to empower businesses of all sizes to meaningfully participate in the energy transition. Companies like Stripe, Atlassian, Brooks Running and Watershed use Ever.green to meet their sustainability goals and invest in the energy transition. Ever.green offers streamlined diligence, transaction, and compliance services to reduce risks and maximize impact for all parties. The company is headquartered in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.ever.green. Media Contact [email protected] FischTank PR