Cypress Creek Renewables, a California-based solar energy production company, is looking to invest about $30 million in a solar energy farm in Washington Township, Clarion County.
“We are always looking for favorable land, an interested land owner willing to be a long-term partner with us, and property with access to transmission power lines,” Parker Sloan, senior community and economic development manager for CCR, wrote in an email exchange with the Clarion News. “Generally those are the two things that we are looking for in townships across Pennsylvania.
“Once we have determined there is power capacity available on the line we will generally move forward with the project.”
The Clarion County Planning Office has identified the solar site as four parcels. Three of those parcels, according to Clarion County Director of Planning Kristi Amato, are owned by Marcie and Matt Steinman and the other property, about 118 acres, is owned by Nancy and Bruce Weaver.
According to Sloan, the solar farm will generate about 26 megawatts of electricity, which is approximately enough power for 4,500 homes in the area.
“The project will be interconnected into the Penelec electric grid and the power will be sold on the wholesale power market,” Sloan said. “However, the actual electrons of electricity generated at this site using power from the sun will flow ‘downstream’ from the site and power homes and businesses across the local area and region.”
How does it work?
But does western Pennsylvania get enough sunshine to feed a solar collection system?
“The most typical design and technology of solar farm today involves what is called a ‘single axis tracker,’ meaning the solar array is mounted to the ground in rows running north and south and it very slowly and gradually ‘tracks’ the sun as it moves across the sky — think of it like a sunflower,” Sloan explained.
“This technology combined with the use of bi-facial modules, which are double-sided solar panels that collect energy on both sides, allow for maximum energy collecting with minimal land use. For most of the day the array will stay perpendicular to the ground and therefore only around five feet off the ground.”
Sloan said the system also is capable of collecting solar energy from reflecting snow cover.
Tax revenues?
Clarion County Director of Tax Assessments Zach Stiglitz said he has some research to do on the project, as the proposed solar farm would be the first of its kind in the county.
So far, he has looked into some preliminary elements of the project.
On a first review, Stiglitz said the solar panels are not considered property improvements. Rather, the panels are considered personal property; therefore, not subject to real estate tax assessment.
Any buildings constructed on the site would be taxable.
Government funding
The Washington Township project could benefit from federal money.
“Solar is no different than any other form of electricity generation in the U.S., like coal or gas, in that it receives some sort of financial incentive tied to construction or generation,” Sloan said. “Solar projects like this one are eligible for the 26 percent Investment Tax Credit. That incentive is really more closely tied with the financials around construction of the project.
Timeline
“Our aim is to start construction once winter has cleared at some point in 2023 and we expect construction to take around nine months start to finish,” Sloan said.
The proposed project would provide an estimated one-time pulse of economic activity to Clarion County and Washington Township during its construction phase, he projected.
Related financial benefits of the project could include, according to Sloan:
- Approximately 60 jobs with a total estimated associated labor income of $2.6 million.
- $7.7 million in economic output.
Sloan noted the project would provide an estimated annual economic impact to Clarion County during its ongoing operational phase supporting approximately:
- Two long-term maintenance jobs.
- $106,200 in associated labor income.
- $302,000 in economic output.
Security
Sloan said the national electric code regulates security of facilities like the proposed solar farm.
“There will be a seven-feet tall perimeter fence with a gate as well as 24/7 365 monitoring by our operations and maintenance center,” he said. “They can call out maintenance crews or whoever is needed depending on the situation or if there is an emergency.”
Also, there will be a sign posted at the facility gate with a phone number for people to call if there is a question, concern or emergency.
How long will it last?
“Decommissioning and dismantling of the solar PV power plant is not expected to occur until about 30 years after the facility is constructed,” Sloan said. “The system’s equipment, including wires, conductors, and racking, has significant salvage value since it is comprised of useful metals such as copper, aluminum and steel.”
He said the PV panels are valuable for their semiconductor materials and rare metals, such as silver.
“At the end of the facility’s lifetime, a solar reclamation firm will collect the modules for recycling, the inverters for refurbishing, and the hardware for salvage,” Sloan said. “The land is then reseeded with a local seed mix and can be repurposed for agriculture or other uses.”
He noted crystalline silicon panels, like the ones proposed for the Washington Township project, do not contain heavy metals.
“We are really excited about this project and about our growing ability to bring more clean electricity to the people of Northwest Pennsylvania,” Sloan said.
“We are also excited to become long-term members of the community in Washington Township and would welcome any questions people may have.”
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