KANE – Two west-central Illinois counties are set to get their first photo voltaic panel farms throughout the subsequent 12 months.
The Hickory Photo voltaic Park is deliberate to be constructed on land in Greene and Jersey counties. The farm is close to the village of Kane in Greene County. Jersey County Board Chairman Gary Kruger mentioned the farm is greater than 800 acres in dimension, most of which is in Jersey County.
The farm is being developed by EDP Renewables North America, a Texas-based subsidiary of Spanish vitality firm EDP Renováveis. EDP can be engaged on the Wolf Run Photo voltaic Park in Morgan County. The Hickory Photo voltaic Park has been within the works for at the least three years, Kruger mentioned.
The corporate says the Hickory Photo voltaic Park will produce 110 megawatts of vitality as soon as operational, sufficient to energy 27,800 common houses in Illinois and save 139 million gallons of water a 12 months. It additionally mentioned it could require a capital funding of greater than $130 million however would pay greater than $37 million to landowners and $15 million to native governments.
Kruger mentioned the photo voltaic farm would deliver in additional actual property tax income and extra jobs to maintain it. He famous that some land homeowners within the province are fearful that it’ll take away land that can be utilized for farming. The photo voltaic farm is constructed on largely flat land, which they argue is best for rising crops if the panels might be put in on rolling floor.
“It’s higher to make use of the rolling floor (for) photo voltaic panels and the flat land (for) rural crops,” Kruger mentioned. “However I do not blame any of the landlords for the monetary deal they made.”
EDP mentioned the Hickory Photo voltaic Park is anticipated to start producing electrical energy in 2024. Kruger mentioned the challenge continues to be within the planning levels however building might start later within the 12 months.
