LAPORTE — A solar energy company is interested in capturing the rays of the sun on 2,600 acres of farmland in LaPorte County to produce electricity.
RWE AG, headquartered in Germany, revealed at a Wednesday public workshop of the LaPorte County Commissioners that it’s looking to build a solar farm in Kankakee and Wills townships.
It would go up on 2,600 acres of farmland used for corn and soybeans in the area of 600 East and 200 North.
RWE AG is one of the world’s largest companies in renewable energy production. Renewable Energy Development Manager Emily McDuff, who’s from the company’s office in Chicago, said the 400 megawatt facility would help replace the 5,900 megawatts of electricity to be lost from coal-fired generators retiring over the next six years.
The solar farm would produce enough electricity to power 26,000 homes.
“We need to somehow replace that electricity whether it be with natural gas or solar electricity. This is just one way,” she said.
McDuff said only four permanent jobs would be created to maintain the facility. However, she said hundreds of local specialized workers would be needed during the two- to three-year construction period, and that means additional customers for area motels, restaurants and other businesses.
McDuff said there would also be a $50 million to $100 million property tax benefit for LaPorte County during 35 years of solar farm operations, resulting from the assessed value of the land growing from $2,280 per acre to $13,000 per acre.
She said the project is also being designed to adhere to the restrictions contained in the LaPorte County solar farm ordinance to preserve the quality of life of nearby residents. McDuff said the solar farm would be at least 250 feet away from nearby residents and have money set aside for the company to restore the ground to its original state when the solar farm is decommissioned, as required.
She said trees and bushes would also be planted to provide a visual buffer for “people nearby who don’t want to look at the solar panels.”
The site would be covered with native pollinating plants to improve the health of the soil and bio-diversity of the area, she said.
“We’re going above and beyond the standards,” McDuff said.
Steve Holifield, a farmer in nearby Mill Creek, called for adding more teeth to the solar farm ordinance to discourage the company from going through with the project.
His concerns include loss of jobs and business for suppliers of farm products like fertilizer.
Holifield, who raises hay along with corn and soybeans, said he’s mostly worried about a shortage of farmland one day if the brakes aren’t placed on turning ground used for food into sources of green energy production.
“How are we going to feed our children 40 years from now when all of this ground is taken out of production,” he said.
So far, the company has not applied for a special exception to operate what would be considered an industrial type solar farm on land zoned for traditional agriculture.
LaPorte County Commissioner Joe Haney said any request for a special exception would be considered and decided by the LaPorte County Board of Zoning Appeals. He said operating permits would then have to be sought from the LaPorte County Plan Commission.
Haney said there’s a chance the already strong solar farm ordinance will be tightened a bit prior to the anticipated filing of the application for a special exception, possibly this summer. He said any decision must balance the rights of property owners wanting to earn money from leasing their property to solar farm developers and neighbors who don’t want changes.
“It’s not as easy and cut-and-dry as it might seem. So, we’re going to take a look at everything and hopefully make the best educated decision we can,” Haney said.
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