ALGER — A partnership between Invenergy and Dominion Energy has resulted in a 150 megawatt alternating current solar farm near Alger in Hardin County.
Officials from both companies cut the ribbon on the completion of the Hardin Solar 1 facility which can produce enough electricity to power more than 34,000 American homes
The project created more than 200 construction jobs, resulting in millions of dollars paid to landowners and payment in lieu of taxes to Hardin County of $1.4 million annually.
“We got green energy, green jobs and we got green going into the community,” said James E. Eck, vice president and general manager-Ohio & West Virginia distribution, gas distribution for Dominion Energy.
This is a project that Invenergy has been considering for years and they were able to obtain their first lease from a Hardin County landowner in 2007.
“Invenergy has had aspirations for a renewable energy project in this community — probably 14 years ago is when it started and it was only about five years ago we began to believe that a solar project here is the direction that we should and ultimately did go,” said Michael Kaplan, senior vice president of renewable development for Invenergy.
The project has been a boon towards economic development in Hardin County.
“The construction was a boost for our economy with all the workers that were brought in to invest in our community. There’s also planned additional project that are coming to the county and those are helping out as well,” said Holly Underwood, director of Economic Development for Hardin County. “It’s put us on the map as a renewal energy destination and we’re excited about these projects as they continue to bring money back into our economy with the PILOT money that the companies have pledged to pay as these projects go forward for the next few decades.”
State representative Jon Cross, a Republican from the 18th District, actually had a hand in the planning stages while director of economic development, prior to becoming a state representative.
“The history could actually go back to my father. He was a county commissioner from 2003 to 2010. They were talking about wind and solar projects even way back then, so certainly we’ve come a long way and there’s some good things that happen when you’re patient,” Cross said.
Currently, the Hardin Solar 2 project is under construction, while a Hardin Solar 3 project is still in the permitting stages.
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