Plans approved

Skycrest Solar meets local regulations.

Jay County Plan Commission found the proposed solar facility with sustainable energy company Invenergy to be compliant with the current solar ordinance Thursday. 

Invenergy is planning a $150 million, 155-megawatt facility on about 2,500 in Penn and Jackson Townships. The company has gained approval for a tax abatement as well as decommissioning and road use agreements. An economic development agreement is still pending approval from Jay County Commissioners, who will meet Monday. (They chose to hold off approving the agreement until after hearings this week.)

Approval of the economic development agreement means about $1.75 million in payments will be made to the county over the course of four years, making it the largest of payments received by the county from renewable energy projects.

The facility is expected to increase the county’s overall assessed value by about $55 million. An estimated $40 million in payments will be made to participating landowners.

After the agreed 35 years, the solar panels will be decommissioned and removed.

The county developed its solar ordinance over the course of more than a year from summer 2018 through fall 2019. There was minimal comment from residence on the ordinance during public hearings at that time.

Nine residents from the Bryant area voiced their opinions Thursday against the project. All of the rural Bryant residents live near land where the solar panels will be placed.

“How far are you going to put (those) things away from my property line?” asked Richard Reef.

Schoder said the company is exceeding the ordinance’s 150-foot setback from residences –– the facility will be 250 feet, at least, from all non-participating landowners. Neighboring farms (not residences) will be 30 feet from the facility, he added. There is also a deer fence around the facility and a vegetation buffer along roads and residence neighborhoods.

Amos Schwartz, who will have solar panels on three sides of his property, asked about cameras. (There are not cameras at the fences or on solar panels, but there will likely be security cameras at the sole operation maintenance building.) He expressed disappointment in the county and farmers for moving forward with the project.

“It ruins it for me, and I’m not happy,” Schwartz said.

Others at the meeting asked if they would benefit personally from the project. 

“What’s our chances that we get booked in for life for free electricity?” asked Robin Myers. Her question prompted a few laughs from the crowd. (The electricity will be sold to a utility company, Schoder responded.)

Myers added her father is a farmer and that she doesn’t agree with using farming ground for other purposes.

“If you don’t want to farm this, why buy the ground?” she asked.

Several others had similar feelings.

“I might as well be living in a city,” commented Jacob Wengerd.

Attorney Mary Solada, who is representing Invenergy for the project, said it takes up 1% or less of the farmland in Jay County. “Resting the land” for 35 years, she continued, should help promote better soil quality. (Invenergy will be planting prairie grasses in between panels, which should help to control weeds, prevent soil erosion, promote soil quality and provide stormwater management.)

David Graber and Ryan McFarland inquired about radiation coming off the panels. McFarland expressed concern about the electromagnetic fields affecting his children over a long period of time.

The panels produce direct current electricity, explained project engineer Tommy Cleveland.

“It takes electricity and puts it on the grid immediately, so it’s not being stored on site,” he said. “It’s being put into those power lines that are already there.”

The radiation resulting is minimal, he added, noting there was radiation coming off the ceiling lights in the courthouse auditorium as he spoke. 

“It’s a different radiation (from these lights) … it’s the same magnetic field that does move a compass,” he said. (The solar panels’ electromagnetic field, he clarified, is weaker than a compass’ magnetic field.)

McFarland asked if panels will leak any cadmium or other harmful metals.

The silicon-based panels being used at Skycrest Solar –– they are 75% tempered glass, Cleveland said –– do not leak any substances.

Amy Schlichter encouraged those in attendance to express their opinions when they vote in elections.

“I do know my constitutional right of going to the ballot,” she said. “I’ll look up every single one of these people, and if I don’t like what they voted on, I’ll make sure that I gather my friends and go vote them out.”

(With the exception of representatives from commissioners and county council, plan commission members are appointed, not elected.)

Plan commission approved Skycrest Solar’s ordinance compliance unanimously.