Rockford Solar Partners hopes to break ground on a 70-acre solar power farm inside the coming weeks.
The partnership of Wanxiang America, which builds solar panels at a Rockford factory, and New Generation Energy of Chicago announced Wednesday that it just got Department of Power and Federal Aviation Administration approval for the project, which will be installed on airport land just south of Wanxiang’s Rockford plant.
Michael Pontarelli, senior vice president of development for New Generation Power, stated the firms are wrapping up last-minute engineering information to secure making permits. He stated installation most likely will take spot during the winter and be completed by early summer time.
“We are pretty excited to obtain this commenced,” Pontarelli stated nowadays.
When that is done, there are going to be 10,000-some photovoltaic solar panels in the ground by Belt Line Road plus the Kishwaukee River. The energy generated from the panels currently has been sold to Ameren Illinois, a Peoria-based business that specializes in electric and gas delivery.
Rockford Solar Partners features a 20-year agreement with Ameren. Additionally, it is inside the method of finalizing a sublease for your land with all the city of Rockford. Per its improvement agreement with Wanxiang, the city currently has signed a 30-year lease with Chicago Rockford International Airport for your solar energy farm’s land.
The city plans to spend for your lease – estimated to price $6,270 yearly – from the Global Trade Park tax increment financing district funds. In turn, Rockford Solar Partners will get the land for $1.
“The a lot more solar gets utilised, the additional panels can be sold, the much more jobs that may be designed,” stated Rob Lamb, the city’s industrial development manager.
Rockford Solar Partners eventually plans to expand the farm to create 62 megawatts. It could take many a long time in advance of the solar farm is in a position to grow to this size, an anticipated 400 acres. The cost is definitely an estimated $250 million.