HARTFORD TOWNSHIP — If a solar farm is ultimately approved for Hartford and Bennington townships, Licking County would reap $3.1 million a year in revenue.
The project, Harvey Solar, covers 2,200 acres. Most of the acreage is in Hartford Township; some is in Bennington Township. Both townships abut Knox County’s Hilliar and Miller townships to the south.
Doug Herling, vice president of development for Open Road Renewables, the project’s developer, said the project is still in the study phase.
“We have not submitted an application yet. We expect to do so sometime later this summer,” he said. “It’s a 12-month review process by the Ohio Power Siting Board staff. We are in the very early stages.”
Herling said Open Road Renewables has signed up all of the acreage needed but declined to tell the lease amount per acre. The solar farm is 350 megawatt (MW) in size.
If the siting board approves the solar farm, Licking County will receive $9,000 per MW each year. The arrangement is Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT). The $9,000 is the standard default amount for solar farms in Ohio.
“For Harvey, that is $3.1 million per year that will go to the county and the tax jurisdictions where the project’s located,” said Herling. “Right now, the acreage generates about $84,000 every year under CAUV (current agricultural use value).”
Taxing jurisdictions that will receive money include the schools, county, townships, and emergency services. The project is expected to have a 40-year lifespan.
Herling said other benefits include university and vocational school workforce development and a requirement that 80% of the labor be from Ohio workers.
Although the project is not located in any part of Knox County, it is possible that Knox County roads will be used to access the solar farm parcels.
“We are working on a route evaluation study now,” Herling said. “Any use of Knox County roads will likely have to be cleared with the county. We identify roads we need to use and limit traffic to those roads. We have a road use and maintenance agreement typically operating during the construction period and after to make sure the roads are maintained.”
He added that the trucks carrying solar panels and used in construction are not unlike agriculture vehicles.
The land is zoned agricultural. Herling said that under Ohio Power Siting Board regulations, solar projects greater than 50 MW are not subject to local zoning regulations.
“That ground at the end of the day goes back to agriculture,” he said.
While the siting board makes the ultimate decision whether the project is a go, county and township officials, as well as residents, can be involved.
“They can be as involved as they like. The siting board accepts input. We’ve had counties and townships get involved and help write the guidelines,” Herling said, adding that the whole process is extremely rigorous.
Noting that construction on any scale is disruptive, Herling said that when the solar farm is operating there is essentially no sound.
“There are no noxious odors like with poultry or a confined livestock operation,” he said. “[The panels] have a very low profile. Most solar projects are under 10 to 12 feet tall; you can plant trees and block the view.
“During construction, there is some degree of impact, but the siting board has noise, time of day, and other regulations that workers must abide by.”
The Harvey Solar team developed the 200 MW Hillcrest solar farm in Brown County.
Daryll Gray, Brown County commissioner, said the commissioners started discussing the project in 2016. The siting board approved the project in 2018, and construction began in May 2020.
“It is not completely done. It’s close,” Gray said. “It changed hands a couple of times. Another company took over and is moving it forward now.”
Hillcrest encompasses about 1,400 acres. Brown County is getting the same $9,000 per MW but has not yet seen the economic benefit.
“It’s after it’s started, cranked up and running. That’s when we’re scheduled to get the $9,000 per MW a year. If they don’t produce the full megawatts, we still get the $9,000,” he said.
Gray said that Brown County also has a road agreement.
“The only problem so far is the roads are muddy and dirty and ditches are messed up,” he said.
As far as what Licking County might expect, Gray said, “While they are building it, you are going to have quite a lot of traffic. Once it gets up and running, it only takes two or three full-time people. It doesn’t take too many to keep it running.
“It is noisy,” he continued. “The people that signed the lease agreement were happy with it, but some of the neighbors are not. But you can’t tell a property owner he can’t sign a lease.”
Gray said that in addition to Hillcrest, which is on one end of the county, another solar farm is going in on the other end of the county. Of the final outcome, he said, “time will tell.”
“In one way it’s a good thing for the county because it’s a little bit more tax revenue. But your next-door neighbor might not like looking at a bunch of solar panels,” he said.
Of the power generated by Harvey Solar in Licking County, Herling said that it is typical that the electricity is sold to one or more big industrial users. American Electric Power is the energy company operating in that area.
“There’s a sub-station on Clover Valley Road, so some portion of the electricity will go local,” Herling said. “It’s likely the same transmission line that goes into the greater Columbus area as well.”
More information can be found at harveysolar.com. Herling encouraged anyone with questions to email harvey@openroadrenewables.com.
Messages left with Thomas Cooperrider, Hartford Township trustee, were not returned by press time.
