JERSEYVILLE/KANE - Jersey and Greene counties are getting their first-ever solar farm, which developer EDP Renewables said is expected to start operating in 2024.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Hickory Solar Park, the name of this project, would consist of “1,000 acres of bifacial tracking solar photovoltaic panels,” according to EDP Renewables. The site will be built just north of Jerseyville, between Jerseyville and Kane.
EDP Renewables claims the project will greatly benefit the local energy supply. Hickory Solar Park is expected to produce 110 megawatts of energy once it’s up and running, enough to power nearly 28,000 Illinois homes.
“Hickory Solar Park’s generation would be equivalent to the average consumption of more than 27,800 of Illinois’ homes,” the company said. “Hickory Solar Park would save 139 million gallons of water each year and prevents the air pollution that causes smog, acid rain, and climate change.”
The project is expected to create over 300 temporary construction jobs and “multiple” permanent jobs, though exact figures were not released.
Despite an initial capital investment of $130 million, the project is expected to contribute tens of millions of dollars to the local economy. Over $37 million would be paid to landowners of the building site, while over $15 million would be paid to local governments.
More information about the project is available here, and you can learn more about EDP Renewables at edpr.com.
More like this:
