by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Stearns County was honored with a “Silver” designation from the national SolSmart program for making it faster, easier and more affordable for homes and businesses to go solar.
A massive solar-energy “garden” was recently installed near St. Joseph, and solar-panel installations are becoming as common a sight as telephone poles in area landscapes. Stearns County, as well as Minnesota in general, is now one of the leaders in the nation for the application of solar power.
The St. Joseph “solar garden” is comprised of 28,000 solar panels and is located on the north and south side of Interstate 94, northwest of St. Joseph. It officially opened Oct. 12. The solar panels are spread across 60 acres and will produce enough energy to power about 1,200 average Minnesota homes.
Primary subscribers to the solar garden include the St. Cloud, Annandale and Paynesville school districts, as well as Louis Industries, a local manufacturer.
SolSmart is a U.S. Department of Energy program that helps local areas develop solar energy and promote jobs and economic growth.
This designation recognizes Stearns County for its leadership and taking steps to encourage solar-energy progress and removing obstacles to solar development. For companies looking to expand, a SolSmart Silver designation is a signal Stearns County is “open for solar business.”
“This acknowledges our current practices of making the permit application process clear and easy to follow and providing online resources for local solar development,” said Angie Berg, Environmental Services Land Use Division supervisor. “With this designation we will have free access to technical staff who can help and guide us in this ever-changing industry. It will be very beneficial to have this resource, a free call to a team of experts who can answer any questions we may have in this area.”
As a SolSmart designee, Stearns County is helping solar companies greatly reduce the cost of installations and then passing those savings on to consumers. This allows even more local homes and businesses to obtain affordable, clean and reliable electricity through solar. The actions Stearns County has taken will help encourage solar companies to do business in the area, driving economic development and creating local jobs.
To receive designation, cities and counties make changes to their local processes to reduce the time and money it takes to install a solar-energy system. That includes evaluating local permitting processes, as well as planning and zoning procedures. SolSmart designees also develop innovations in areas such as market development and finance.
SolSmart is led by the Solar Foundation and the International City/County Management Association and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. More than 100 cities, counties, and small towns have achieved SolSmart designation since the program launched in 2016.
A “solar garden” near St. Joseph generates enough power to provide electricity for three school districts, many homes and an area manufacturer.
