Solar Farm Updates

The proposed solar farm near Sidney would be the largest private solar farm in the area if approved later this month by the full County Board. The News-Gazette had updates on the ongoing approval process in the county government required to build in the area:

Second Champaign County panel OKs proposed large solar farm near Sidney
...
On Thursday, the Champaign County Environment and Land Use Committee voted 6-0 to recommend that the county board approve a 150-megawatt solar farm proposed by Irvine, Calif.-based Bay-Wa r.e. Development LLC...

If the development, to be called Prairie Solar, gets final approval from the board on Jan. 24, Bay-Wa r.e. plans to build it on 1,609 acres of land east and south of Sidney...

"Bay-Wa has a strong commitment to being a good corporate citizen," Fitzgerald said. "The proposed Prairie Solar facility satisfies and, in many aspects, exceeds the requirements of the Champaign County solar ordinance."

Fitzgerald said in cooperation with landowners, the entire project area will be pattern-tiled so as to not disturb drainage.

Fitzgerald also announced Thursday night that the Illinois Power Authority has awarded the Prairie Solar facility a full subscription of renewable-energy credits, which would lower the price of electricity to the buyer.

The project was previously approved by the county's Zoning Board of Appeals on Nov. 29 in a 4-2 vote.

Full article here. In other solar farm news the University of Illinois received recognition for its efforts in Climate leadership, including its solar energy intiatives:

UI selected as recipient of ninth annual Climate Leadership Award
The University of Illinois was selected for the ninth annual Climate Leadership Award from the Boston-based nonprofit Second Nature, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council.

One four-year university and one two-year college are chosen annually for the award, which recognizes innovation and leadership in climate action...

The awards are based on advances in climate innovation, collaboration and student preparedness. The UI was cited for:

— The breadth of its sustainability, energy and environmental research.

— Efforts to make the campus and its buildings more sustainable, including a solar farm, purchase of renewable energy, conservation efforts and a framework developed in the Illinois Climate Action Plan to reach carbon neutrality no later than 2050.

— Courses in sustainability across campus, with participation from almost every college and the majority of academic units.

— Initiatives to change behavior and engage students, including the Certified Green Office and Laboratory Programs, zero-waste athletic events, and student organizations and events dedicated to sustainability.

Full article here.