The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) that plans the Midwest’s power grid projects that demand for renewable energy in the wholesale market in 2030, based on existing commitments of utilities, corporations, and public policy goals, will reach 30% of total energy. As of December 2019, renewable energy in MISO stands at 8%. Of the 69,000 MW required to meet this demand, only 19,000 MW are currently operating, leaving a 50,000 MW gap.

It can take three to five years from project conception to completion, depending on local conditions and permits, utility requirements, financing, land availability and other development needs.

Energy buyers, from retail consumers to commercial businesses are increasingly demanding carbon-free power for environmental as well as economic reasons. The price of solar panels and related equipment has dropped significantly over the past 15 years at the same time policies, like renewable portfolio standards, require a percentage of power come from renewables.

We are committed to open and transparent relationships with landowners. We have a standard lease that provides the same terms to all landowners within the project footprint.

An engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor will be hired. The EPC contractor performs design, completes engineering, and manages construction of the plant. The EPC contractor also awards construction materials contracts and subcontracts for certain portions of the work. We encourage our EPC contractors to use local contractors and vendors when possible.

Solar installation jobs require education and/or experience in solar, electrical, renewable energy, engineering technology or construction-related fields. There may also be certification exams available like the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. We will be relying on the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor, not yet hired, to determine training and hiring requirements. We are open to working with local colleges and vocational programs to share information and possible opportunities.

Solar panels (or photovoltaic PV modules) turn sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. The panels are supported by a racking structure and paired with inverters that convert the DC electricity into alternating current (AC). The AC electricity passes through a transformer to ensure it is at the appropriate voltage before being sent to the electric grid at a utility interconnection point.

Setbacks and other design requirements are evaluated during the permitting phase based on local ordinances.

We are seeking power purchase agreements with utilities or other large offtakers capable of buying most or all of the generation. We cannot sell directly to retail customers, but you may have the opportunity to purchase solar energy through your local utility.

Chain-link fencing will be installed along the perimeter of the solar field.

Generally, sizes range from around 3 feet to up to 7 feet. The arrays are configured in blocks or groups of panels. Once mounted on the rack, panels can range in height from 8 to 15 feet high.

Solar projects can only generate by converting sunlight to electricity. The Midwest has daytime peak hours that are well served by solar.

Solar farms have an expected 40-year life, much of which is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. Solar panels can continue to produce energy past their warranty, though efficiencies may decrease. Once the panels are no longer efficient, the farm will be dismantled, upgraded, or repowered, depending on terms of the land agreement, power needs and other market forces.

Dust does reduce the performance of the panels/modules. Fortunately, they are relatively easy to clean. In wet climates, dust is washed from panels by rain and snow. In drier climates, mechanical washing is performed.

Large-scale solar spans many acres but is low to the ground, unlike wind turbines or the stacks and cooling towers at fossil fueled generating stations. The perimeter of the solar field may be landscaped to minimize visibility.

If maps are available, we will take tile locations into design considerations and attempt to minimize damage. If drain tiles are damaged by a project, we will fix them. It is in our best interest to minimize and/or repair damage as standing water is not desired.

Prior to the start of construction, we will work with state and county agencies (as appropriate) to develop a detailed plan of the expected transportation routes, the number of trucks and maximum truck weights. The plan will also document the existing condition of potentially impacted roadways.

Generally, solar projects contract with experienced solar O&M (operations and maintenance) providers who then hire local employees with backgrounds as technicians and electricians or similar expertise. Additionally, local companies are periodically retained to provide support services consisting mainly of vegetation management but may also include occasional janitorial or snow removal services.

It is our standard practice to have a decommissioning plan and cost estimate prior to the start of construction. In some cases, a letter of credit or bond is put in place to ensure the availability of future decommissioning costs.

During construction, large-scale solar farms create dozens of construction jobs, generate significant tax revenues, and help stimulate the local economy. During a project’s operational life, the project will bring in operation and maintenance jobs along with significant tax revenues that benefit local infrastructure, school districts, and local GDP.

Solar helps the electric grid to:

• Diversify and complement other technologies – wind generates at night, solar during the day
• Produce power during the day when demand is higher
• Reduce fuel costs and risks

A 50MWac solar project is estimated to cost $59,500,000.

The presence of a solar field has shown no measurable negative impact on the value of adjacent properties. Various studies show that solar fields have, in some cases, increased property values.

We enter into voluntary land leases with landowners for the useful life of the solar farm. The land's existing uses vary and include agricultural applications. The land, rested and restored, is returned to the landowner at the conclusion of the project life, at which time it can be returned to farmland or another previous use. Landowners typically find it is more economical to use their land for solar than for farming.

There are several factors that contribute to the quantity of construction staff, including schedule constraints, weather, and skill level of the local labor force. For example, 50MWac solar farms have been shown to create over 75 full-time equivalent construction jobs.

Fencing will be installed along the perimeter of the solar field to prevent farm animals from accessing the solar field.

There are certain federal tax incentives and grants that help make the economics of solar work. Tax credits help the economic viability of a project. At the local level, we review available incentives for large-scale commercial solar. Programs like Opportunity Zones and Renewable Portfolio Standards vary between and within states. The economic feasibility of a project will take into consideration all costs and incentives.

• There are no proven health risks from solar fields, and homeowners commonly have solar panels installed on their residences.
• In fact, solar fields are known for having a positive benefit on air quality. Solar fields generate clean, renewable power with zero air emissions and often replace older and less-efficient fossil fuel-based sources of power with significant air emissions. A study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows that this corresponds to a lower risk of respiratory issues and heart attacks.
• Solar fields are generally not associated with health risks from electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Humans are exposed to EMFs in their daily life, such as from a refrigerator. We will have operations employees at the solar farm, and their safety is a priority. You can read more about EMFs on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website.

Solar panels do not produce noise, but the inverters that change the current of electricity from DC to AC do produce a slight hum that is not audible past the property boundaries. Solar projects are considered quiet neighbors.

For optimal power generation, solar panels are designed to absorb sunlight, not reflect it. Glint/glare studies can be performed to assess potential impact. Further, it is common for airports to install solar arrays for power generation, without experiencing glare issues.

• Solar panels do not consist of any liquids; therefore, if one were to be damaged, there would be no risk of contaminants spilling on the ground. Our projects will utilize solar panels composed of monocrystalline solar cells sandwiched between glass with a metal frame.
• Furthermore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s established tests demonstrate that solar modules do not leach toxins into the environment.
• Our projects will be continuously maintained and monitored to ensure operations remain safe and environmentally sound. If a solar panel is damaged, our maintenance team will remove it and replace it.

• We have environmental experts conducting an environmental analysis to understand any impacts on wildlife. Solar projects have been known to provide habitat for birds and pollinators like bees and butterflies from project landscaping and ground cover.
• Local and state jurisdictions often require studies to be performed to assess the impact to certain species of wildlife, such as rare, threatened, or endangered species. Other impacts are assessed in an environmental site assessment.

Outside of nighttime lighting needed for safety and security, our projects have minimal lighting and should not cause light pollution.

Solar generation facilities do not cause impacts to over-the-air (OTA) digital TV reception. Unlike wind turbines that can potentially cause signal scattering due to the turbines and blades and their siting relative to TV stations and receptors, solar facilities have a much lower profile and do not affect the OTA signals.

Our projects will have a drainage plan, as well as a storm water pollution prevention plan.

Nearby residences will be given privacy screening options to help with viewshed. Compared to other sources of power, solar fields are low to the ground and, as a result, have minimal visual impacts.

We intend to put a vegetation management plan in place that relies, to the extent possible, on local flora that potentially maintains the current vegetation and is pollinator friendly. There are vegetation options that include herbivore-friendly species such as alfalfa (depending on local restrictions).

Our vegetation management plan will include weed/vegetation control, primarily through mowing. Weed control is critical to solar projects as weeds can impede maintenance access and cause reduced generation from shading. There are vegetation options that include herbivore-friendly species such as alfalfa (depending on local restrictions).