Strata Solar holds public meeting in Lind - Company provides information about potential solar project

Lind residents filled the Community Church’s fellowship hall on Nov. 8 to learn about the Adams-Nielson Solar Project.

Strata Solar, a family-owned solar energy company based out of North Carolina, is overseeing the development of the project located north of Lind by the water tanks and next to the cemetery. The estimated cost of the project is $30 million.

During the meeting, representatives from Strata Solar provided information regarding the project’s development and construction phases, as well as answered questions from community members.

John Knight, Vice President of Development for Strata Solar, provided some history on the company, which was formed in 2008. They had built solar plants in the eastern United States before focusing on developing projects on the western side of the country.

Knight said Strata Solar currently has solar plants in 25 states. A small-sized solar plant developed by Strata Solar produces 500 kilowatts, which is enough to power 200 homes.

One of the company’s largest projects produces 5 megawatts. He added the company focuses on long-term ownership of the facilities it designs and currently owns half of the plants they have built.

When Adams County Commissioner John Marshall asked why Strata Solar chose to build a plant in Adams County, Knight said he had a feeling Washington state would be the next big solar market.

This is due to the combination of the wind generated in the Columbia Gorge and the declining cost of generating solar power as an energy source, Knight explained.

“After mapping out the solar regions through NASA, found that Adams County is the best for solar resources,” he added.

Knight also knows Washington State will need energy and started contacting utility companies, which led him to Avista Utilities. For the project, Knight said Strata Solar will sell power to Avista through a request for proposal agreement.

Garrett Lehman, director of development at Strata Solar, explained the different phases of the project.

Lehman said the project’s design phase will last until April 2018. Once the design phase is complete, construction is scheduled to take place from April to September. Once construction of the facility is complete, Lehman said crews will move into the project’s final testing phase.

He said crews will need to revegetate the site to prepare it for installing the solar panels. Lehman said a solar project only requires minimal grading and preparation. The company also plans to have crews revitalize the soil under the panels.

During the construction phase, crews will install erosion controls for better management practices to help erosion control on-site. Strata Solar will bring a survey crew to make sure the project is not hurting the cemetery’s maintenance and operations.

“If there is a problem, the cemetery has an easement and we can work with them to provide the facility with improvements,” Knight said.

Lehman said it will take about 50-75 employees to install the solar panels. Strata Solar plans to hold a job fair and hire local employees for the project’s construction phase. He added there will be 200-300 trucks going through town during a four-month period.

Lehman explained the solar project will generate less than 44 decibels of sound. If residents hear noise from the plant, Lehman said it would sound “similar to a refrigerator running in a person’s home.”

The project is not expected to not produce any emissions, as well as minimal to no glare from the panels. They will be orientated from north to south instead of from east to west.

Knight said crews will monitor the solar plant from Strata Solar’s headquarters in North Carolina.

Crews will also perform a walkthrough to monitor the facility and vegetation on a monthly basis. The solar plant’s equipment and surrounding landscape will be repaired and maintained as needed.

For security measures, Lehman said the crews will install a chain-linked fence with a six-foot gap between the fence and the solar panels.

When it comes to weather conditions, Knight said the panels can withstand rain and should be able to withstand small hail. Equipment will also be kept in weatherproof boxes, which can withstand the blast from a fire hose.

As for a large snow storm, crews will remove snow from the panels. If an ice storm happens in the area, Knight said crews will stop monitoring the facility until the storm is over and the ice melts off the panels.

He said if the panels are damaged by weather or vandals, crews can replace them. There will also be extra panels stored in the facility.

After a resident asked how the project would affect the Lind Fire Department responding to emergencies in the area, Lehman explained the company is required to create a fire break around the project. The conditional use permit requires the company to work with the department as well.

One resident asked how the project would benefit the Town of Lind. Knight said the project’s construction phase will bring people and businesses to Lind, as well as create employment opportunities for residents.

Various districts in Adams County and the Lind School District will receive money from property taxes from the facility. Marshall added the taxes would go into the general fund and help pay for county services.

Lehman said the agreement with Avista is for 20 years to supply them with power, though the company designs their projects to last for 35. Once the solar farm is at the end of its lifespan, crews will return to the site, remove the panels and posts and restore the land to the condition it was before the project’s installation.

He added Adams County officials have also required Strata Solar to set aside funds to cover the costs related to the project’s removal.