What is the New Market Solar Farm?
The proposed New Market Solar Farm is a 100-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar energy generation facility to be built in Clay and Whiteoak Townships, Highland County, OH. The solar farm will consist of PV solar arrays, access roads, and electrical interconnection to the utility grid.
What type of solar technology will be built at the New Market Solar Farm?
The project will be configured as a ground-mounted solar farm with photovoltaic (PV) panels on galvanized steel tracker racking structures. It will include rows of single-axis trackers, oriented in a north-south direction, that rotate the PV panels from east to west following the sun’s daily path, optimizing the amount of power the solar farm can produce.
The tracker structure is low-profile, approximately 10 feet high above grade at the tallest point (about the height of corn stalks).
The solar panels planned for this project are the crystalline type commonly used for rooftop residential systems. They contain the same materials (glass, aluminum, plastic) used in many household products such as windows.
How does solar power work?
Photovoltaic (PV) panels use the sun’s energy to produce direct current (DC) electricity that flows to on-site electrical inverters that turn DC electricity to alternating current AC electricity which then flows to the electrical grid for consumers to use.
Is solar photovoltaic (PV) technology well established?
The type of solar PV technology to be used by the New Market Solar Farm has been in use and continually refined since it was invented in 1954.
Over 76,000 MW of solar PV generating capacity is currently installed in the US. Solar projects accounted for 40% of all new electricity generation built in the US in 2019.
Will reflection from the panels create glare?
A common misconception about solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is that they inherently cause or create “too much” glare, posing a nuisance to neighbors and a safety risk for pilots. Light absorption rather than reflection is central to the function of solar PV panels to absorb solar radiation and convert it to electricity. Solar PV panels are constructed of dark-colored (usually blue or black) materials and are covered with anti-reflective coatings. Modern PV panels reflect as little as two percent of incoming sunlight, about the same as water and less than soil or even wood shingles. The Project has conducted Glare Studies that will be made part of the Application.
Where will the solar farm be located?
The solar farm will be built on several contiguous areas along Edwards Road and New Market Road, and South Hollowtown Road in Clay Township, Highland County, OH. The footprint of the Project is anticipated to be approximately 1,116 acres.
Why build a solar farm in Highland County?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the southwestern region of Ohio, where Highland County is located, is the sunniest part of the state and offers the best solar resources for power generation by photovoltaic systems. This location also offers efficient transmission capabilities without building additional electrical wires.
Why build a large solar project?
Grid-connected larger utility-scale projects can provide electricity consumers, local utilities, and power system operators with inexpensive solar energy when they need it the most – during high-cost summer peak demand. Such projects also achieve economies of scale enabling more cost-effective production of electricity. The need for large quantities of solar panels and related equipment additionally provide incentives for attracting solar panel manufacturing facilities to the region.
What economic benefits will the solar farm provide to Highland County?
The New Market Solar Farm will provide annual contributions to the county tax base. The project will pay $9,000/MW/year for the life of the project. The solar farm’s activities are projected to create millions in fiscal benefits for the county and the state during the installation phase of the project. The ongoing operation of the solar farm is projected to produce annual significant new local revenues in the form of PILOT payments. In addition, Operations and Maintenance will create additional jobs which we seek to locally source.
Will the solar farm affect property taxes?
As described above, this Project is expected to bring a significant increase in property tax revenue for the locality than what is currently collected. The increased revenue will improve local governmental services like schools, which improvements have a positive effect on property values. The PILOT payments will last for the life of the Project.
How will it affect farmland?
Solar farms are among the least disruptive of any electricity-producing technologies. This Project’s impact on the soil will be limited to the spots where steel beams are driven into the ground to support the solar panel arrays and foundations built to hold inverter stations and transformers. The land used by the solar farm can be returned to full agricultural production after the planned life of the Project.
Who will pay for the repair of any damaged local public roads?
Newmarket Solar will document the current condition of the roads prior to construction then restore the roads back to the same condition or better as part of construction follow up. These costs will be borne by Newmarket Solar not the community. Hecate Energy expects to enter into a Road Use and Maintenance Agreement with the County Engineer in order to address these issues.
How would severe weather like tornados affect the project?
The solar tracking arrays are built to robust ASCE (American Society for Civil Engineers) standards. In the event of extreme weather and high winds, operational procedures will be implemented to stow the trackers in a direction to best withstand high winds.
What standards are being followed during construction and design?
To assure the safety of workers and the community, the solar farm will be designed and installed in conformance with ASCE (American Society for Civil Engineers) standards. These standards promote safety, reliability, productivity, and efficiency across all areas of design and construction of energy systems