Clark County, Ohio, may soon become home to a large-scale solar power plant, according to WYSO.
Invenergy has been working to get permission to build a new 180-megawatt plant called Sloopy. The developer has said that will be enough to power over 33,000 homes and that the project will generate local jobs.
"I don't know enough about that yet to know what that'll generate," said Harmony Township Trustee Jay Flax, per WYSO. "This is all so new to us. We've never encountered all this. And we have very little control on what's happening with this."
Invenergy is required to conduct public consultations before full approval comes through. There is already some opposition related to concerns about heavy metals leaching into the soil from improper panel management. Others are worried about lowered property values.
Ohio's Bill 52 allows counties to ban wind and solar development in unincorporated areas, but planning for Sloopy was underway before that bill had passed, allowing it to be partially grandfathered in without having to deal with the new provisions.
Utility-scale solar power is the cheapest energy source available, but saving money on monthly bills isn't the only benefit.
Solar replaces gas and coal as a power source, which means fewer emissions. Atmospheric pollution has been responsible for increasingly destructive weather patterns, like floods and droughts that have adverse effects on farmers and our food supply.
To help navigate these waters when installing panels on homes, it's best to connect with local solar experts. EnergySage can help connect homeowners to local, vetted solar installers with this free utility.
These pros can provide a quote for a right-sized system and save homeowners up to $10,000 on installation costs thanks to rebates and credits. Those incentives look set to be repealed through an act of Congress, so it's best to take advantage of them while they're around.
It will still be a while before ground gets broken on Sloopy, but the current plans are being sensitive to the native habitat.
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"We've already committed to some wildlife corridors, wildlife fencing to allow for the ability for wildlife to traverse through and around the project," said Invenergy's Ryan Van Portfliet, per WYSO.
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