What is the story about?
What's Happening?
Developers in Wyoming have invested $155 million in one of the state's first agriculture-solar farms, aiming to generate 163 megawatts of electricity while maintaining agricultural operations on the same land. Despite being shovel-ready with permits, the project faces difficulties in selling its power due to transmission challenges. The nonprofit Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association's transmission lines cross the project's lead property, but a deal to transmit electricity starting in 2034 has not been reached. The delay has caused the original investing partner to withdraw, and the company is waiting for a 45-day window to apply for transmission with Tri-State.
Why It's Important?
The agriculture-solar farm project is significant as it promises to generate property tax revenue for Goshen County and create 250 construction jobs during its development phase. However, the inability to transmit electricity to the market poses a major obstacle, potentially affecting the project's financial viability and the anticipated economic benefits for the region. The situation highlights the challenges faced by renewable energy projects in securing necessary infrastructure and agreements to bring their power to consumers.
What's Next?
The company is awaiting the annual 45-day window to apply for transmission with Tri-State, which could take up to 18 months or longer for a project to be reviewed. If successful, the project could come online by 2029, but competition from other agriculture-solar-friendly projects may influence the outcome. Developers remain optimistic about overcoming these challenges and emphasize the tax benefits and job creation potential of the project.
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