Less than 8% of the property will be used to provide a predictable revenue stream to the active family farm.
The Town of Glocester, Rhode Island granted final administrative approval to Green Development in August 2020 for a 1.8 MW solar project at White Oak Farm, located at 74 White Oak Lane. The Phillips family owns the farm and land, and they have been growing and selling peaches, apples, vegetables, sweet corn and pumpkins for generations. The solar project will cover approximately 6 acres of the 78-acre property, enabling the farm to remain in operation.
“This is a win-win situation for my family. I want the farm to be a going concern for my children and my grandchildren. This project brings a predictable revenue stream to an industry that can be very unpredictable. It also allows the land to provide something more than vegetables, while still harnessing the benefits of the sun. That synergy between solar power and our crops is very important to us,” said Roger Phillips. “The Green Development team worked with us to integrate the panels in a manner that did not impact our crops.”
“It has been a pleasure getting to know Roger and his family and gaining an appreciation of their operations. It was that approach that brought this project to a successful permitting conclusion.
The approved project preserves a historic cemetery on the site. The power generated from the project will go into the state’s net metering program. Site preparation is underway and construction will begin this summer. We anticipate that the project will be completed and online by the end of this year.
Minimal tree clearing is required to develop the project, so a vast majority of the property will remain wooded. Green Development will pay Glocester a tax of $5,000 per megawatt, or approximately $9,000 per year.
Read the full press release here.
Note: Since the posting of this press release, the story has been covered in the following articles:
https://www.ecori.org/renewable-energy/2020/8/7/solar-energy-helps-farm-endure