Farm Horizons
•
April 4
•
Page 29
Solar project proposals popping
up throughout the area
By Gabe Licht
Solar energy is becoming more
common in Minnesota, and the local
area is no exception.
At least 11 solar projects, also called
solar gardens, have been proposed or
approved in Wright County, plus five
in McLeod County. Three solar sites
have been approved, but not constructed, in Carver County, with three others
being reviewed.
Much of the increase in solar energy demand is driven by a mandate
for Xcel Energy to have 1.5 percent of
sales from solar energy by 2020, while
cooperative electricity companies are
also investing in solar.
Third-party companies such as SunShare, US Solar, Geronimo Energy,
and Aurora Energy are looking to establish solar gardens in order to sell Wright-Hennepin built this solar array for the city of Rockford.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
the energy to Xcel Energy.
Projects could be as large as fivemegawatts – about 35 to 50 acres – if
on projects in the area. “It’s a phenomenon of there being
they were in the works by the fall of 2015.
a defect in electrical installation . . . If you build properly,
“In a settlement agreement this past summer, it was
there should be non or nearly zero . . . These are engineeragreed you could collocate five different one-megawatt
ing problems that can be measured. The smart thing to do
projects together,” said Reed Richerson, of US Solar. “You
is test for it. If there’s a problem, you solve it.”
could only do that until Sept. 25: that’s when you had to get
Solar energy advocates call a solar garden a good way
the process started with Xcel.”
to
preserve farmland for the future because native grass
Solar gardens are allowed as a conditional use for agriand
pollinator habitat is planted on the property and no
culturally zoned properties.
chemicals
are used.
“Just like a normal conditional use permit, we take the
Solar
gardens
typically have a 25-year lease, and a
application from the applicant, fill out the forms, give them
decommissioning
plan with a financial component is rethe permit back, and let them know they have to go to the
quired.
township to get a recommendation,” McLeod County Zon“We’re requiring a bond so those investors, after so
ing Administrator Larry Gasow said. “The township has
many
years, if they walk away, we are collecting a pera chance to ask questions. If they have concerns, they forformance
bond in case the county has to pay someone to
ward them to the planning commission.”
clean
it
up
and remove panels, the bond we’re asking for is
Gasow said the state of Minnesota requires counties to
$20,000
per
megawatt,” Gasow said.
issue a decision on a solar garden within 60 days of appliMcLeod
County
also requires insurance for the site itcation, though they may request a 60-day waiver from the
self.
applicant to allow for more fact-finding.
Some residents take issue with solar gardens being loMcLeod County requested additional time to review an
cated
on agriculturally zoned property.
application for a solar garden on property south of High“That’s
commercial application,” a Franklin Township
way 7 and four miles west of McLeod County Road 9 in
resident
said
at a recent meeting. “There’s no ag involved.
Winsted Township due to concerns from neighbors and the
There’s
no
plants
being grown. It’s a business, and it should
township.
be
zoned
commercial.”
Gasow said he has heard concerns about aesthetics, a
Ruiz pointed to state statute that allows counties to zone
possible decline in value for neighboring properties, stray
solar
gardens as agricultural.
voltage, and the use of prime farmland for a different use.
As
far as taxes go, solar energy companies pay a pro“Stray voltage won’t electrocute anyone,” said Gerardo
duction
tax of .0012 cents per kilowatt hour, which RichRuiz, of Potentia Energy, which is working