A pair of solar array projects planned for Winsted Township approved by the McLeod County Board this past week were not new topics for discussion among board members.
Both projects — South Garden and Crane Garden — were previously brought forth by Nokomis Energy of Minneapolis a few years ago after contracting with local property owners. The projects, both on prime agricultural land, were previously denied conditional-use permits by the McLeod County Board. But January 2022 rulings from the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent the application back to the board for approval, subject to reasonable conditions.
South Garden is an 8-acre, 35-year project west of Winsted in Winsted Township. Crane Garden is a 9-acre project southeast of Winsted in Winsted Township. Many projects reviewed by the County Board have been on agricultural land on the east side of the county because that is the land most commonly available to connect to the Xcel Energy grid.
County Board members have toiled several times in recent years over numerous concerns related to similar projects. Neighbors often oppose such projects, feeling they alter the character and aesthetics of the area, and introduce concerns of “stray voltage” without sufficient barriers. Those concerns have been weighed along with a desire to maintain agriculture land for agriculture purposes, and the rights of property owners to do what they will with their land.
Board Chair Doug Krueger said this past week the balance was still on his mind.
“I’m still a prime farmland guy,” he told other board members. “I struggle between the landowners’ rights.”
Recently approved solar array projects, which are often referred to as “solar gardens,” have attempted to be more palatable by agreeing to agrivoltaics components, which combine gardening and crop growth with solar arrays. Bee hives, native grass and chickens were a component of one recent project.
However, the County Board was unable to consider such requirements for the South Garden and Crane Garden sites, as the Board of Appeals decision means board members must consider the projects as they would have a few years ago.
Both projects were approved March 1 with several requirements for safety, as well as a call for $134,000 bonds ($40 per panel based on 3,350 panels). These bonds would be used in the event Nokomis Energy abandons the sites.
Matt Provosky, director of government affairs for Nokomis Energy, said such an event would be an extreme situation.
“It would be incredibly, incredibly rare that you’d ever want to abandon an asset like that,” he said. “It’s in everyone’s best interest to make sure that it’s successful and operating because that’s where that revenue comes from.”
He said the county’s bond requirement was six times the requirement of other recent projects in McLeod County, and suggested a lower figure. Other projects have been approved with similar bond requirements, but not constructed. Environmental Services Director Marc Telecky said the delay in construction was due to long lead times on equipment, not due to county requirements.
McLeod County Board Member Nathan Schmalz, who was the one dissenting vote on both projects, said he would prefer a larger bond requirement to account for the risk of inflation in the future. Board members discussed two opposing forces on future decommission costs. Inflation could raise the cost, but experience and a more robust industry could drive costs down. State regulations could also come in at some point. Telecky said he was comfortable with the $40-per-panel figure.
“The number comes out of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which is a federal think tank, Department of Energy, Colorado Springs,” he said.
Provosky said Nokomis Energy also had opposition to the 10-foot fence requirement with a 24-inch kicker at the top. He said the requirement was higher than elsewhere in the region. Telecky said the requirement was meant to address concerns of neighbors, both to provide separation and to avoid the use of barbed wire.
Speaking specifically to the Crane Garden project, Schmalz said he was concerned about the project’s proximity to a home and a building site. He asked for improved screening on those sides. Telecky and Provosky said they were willing to work together to be sure screening was sufficient. Dogwood and black spruce are the most commonly used trees to create a screen.
A neighbor of South Garden asked if it was possible to do more to ward against stray voltage risks. One project requirement for both sites calls for a stray voltage test to be completed prior to construction and prior to energization of the project. Results must be submitted to McLeod County within 30 days of testing.
Board Member Paul Wright, a dairy farmer who has discussed the stray voltage issue in prior meetings, said the baseline is important for future safety.
“If there is ever a suspect of stray voltage, the applicant would be able to test for that,” he said. “Establishing that baseline prior to construction is the most important step in trying to hunt down where a problem may be if it does pop up.”
Telecky said the company has liability if there is a stray voltage concern it does not address. He said if the applicant doesn’t cooperate in the future should concerns come up, the conditional-use permit can be brought to the board again due to safety concerns.
