A renewable energy company is looking to build Clark County’s first utility-scale solar project. A public meeting on Tuesday got the company one step closer to asking state regulators for approval — and learning true attitudes towards the project.
The renewable energy company Invenergy plans to site the Sloopy Solar project in Harmony Township, roughly 12 miles east of Springfield.
MORE: Renewable energy company proposes Clark County’s first utility-scale solar project
Should it be built, the project will span 1,600 acres and generate enough energy to power roughly 33,000 homes annually. The company says it will generate over $1 million annually for local governments, schools, libraries and the county health department.
Ryan Van Portfliet, director of renewable development for Invenergy, said they brought the full project team such as engineering and environmental compliance staff to answer questions.
“The goal of this event was hopefully met in which we were able to listen (to) folks and begin to learn what they may want to see in a project if it were to move forward,” Van Portfliet said.
Energy generated would feed power directly to regional energy grid operator, PJM, for distribution. Invenergy hasn’t officially applied to the state energy permitters for approval, but this public meeting is one of the final steps it needs to take before being eligible to do so.
Mixed feedback from residents
Several residents across the county came to learn more at the Tuesday meeting.
Some of those attendees included locals organizing against the project. A group called the Harmony Farmland Preservation Coalition formed earlier this year. Their main concern is the potential negative impact on farmland following the end of life for the solar panels.
“We want responsible solar. We do not view this as being a responsible way to move forward.”
Mark Hoffmaster neighbors the proposed project area. He said there’s almost no examples of successful land restoration at the conclusion of solar projects, since this technology is so new.
“I asked a lot of questions downstairs, but there's no long-term data that they've been able to provide because these sites haven't been here for 30 years, 40 years, the length of these leases…” Hoffmaster explained. “We don't make more farmland in this country. So that's a very concerning thing to most of us.”
Joshua Trapp is vice president and his parents neighbor the project area. The group isn’t against solar altogether, he said, but they don’t believe farmland should be adapted for this purpose.
“These types of projects could be placed on brownfields. They could be placed on stadiums. They could be placed in parking lots…”said Trapp. “We want responsible solar. We do not view this as being a responsible way to move forward.”
"I think we can coexist and make it work."
Van Portfliet told WYSO in May that the project was sited in Harmony Township due to its access to the PJM interconnection’s transmission lines.
Gene Barnett is a Springfield resident who attended the meeting who’s in favor of the project. Barnett said solar energy needs to expand in order to preserve our planet, let alone farmland.
“I think we need to use solar and wind a lot more, as much as we can, and preserve as much farmland as we could too, so no farms, no food. I think we can coexist and make it work,” Barnett said.
Invenergy will hold another public meeting to be scheduled at a later date. Van Portfliet says the company anticipates submitting the official application to the Ohio Power Siting Board later this year.
