About White Trillium solar
62MWdc
/50MWac of clean, locally generated electricity
50
jobs created during construction, with a minimum of 80% in-state labor
65,923
metric tons of CO2 emissions reduced every year, which is the equivalent of 14,331 fuel-burning cars
$55 million
investment of private capital into energy infrastructure for Ohio, helping increase the state’s energy security
$12.2 – $15.7 million
dollars to local government agencies in revenue over the next 35 years
Site Selection & preliminary design
Stakeholder outreach
Permitting & environmental studies
Land management & biodiversity planning
Final engineering, financing & construction
Operation & maintenance
Decommissioning & recycling
Lightsource bp is in the process of developing the White Trillium Solar farm in Van Wert County, OH. We are proposing to build, own, and operate a privately funded $55 million, 62 megawatt DC solar farm on a portion of a 388 acre project area located within a sparsely populated area of Union Township.
Long-term Benefits
In addition to generating affordable, clean energy for Ohio’s electrical grid, development of the land with solar energy also has several long-term benefits including:
- Rest and regeneration of the land during the project’s life, preserving it for future use.
- Opportunity for continued farming through Agrivoltaics. The White Trillium project is planning to plant grasses and plants under and adjacent to the panels which create a habitat for pollinators and potentially use local sheep to graze and maintain portions of the site.
- Retention of rural character and biodiversity through pollinator friendly solar and wildlife friendly fencing.
- Rural resilience through continued local ownership of the land.
Economic Growth
The White Trillium solar project will make a $55+ million capital investment into the community. This opens many doors for economic growth, including:
- $349,300 – $449,100 in new tax revenue per year, over the next 35 years.
- This significant revenue will stay local and bring millions of dollars to schools and other community services, without raising taxes on local families.
- 50 direct jobs and 50 related jobs, during the 9 to 12-month construction period, with a minimum of 80% in-state labor.
Responsible Design
In developing the project, we are implementing our best practices for solar farm development, including:
- Adding vegetative screening with new trees and shrubs between the solar panels and public view.
- Budgeting for consistent maintenance and upkeep of the facility.
- Making sure appropriate drainage and traffic mitigation are provided.
- Preparing a full Decommissioning Plan and Financial Assurance to ensure that the project will be removed at the end of its life.
- 50-foot road setbacks and home setbacks starting at 100 feet, in addition to evergreen screening to maintain residents’ views.
Local benefits
Job creation: 50 jobs will be created during peak construction of the project, the majority of which will be filled by members of the local labor force.
A healthier environment: 65, 923 metric tons of carbon dioxide will be abated each year, the equivalent to emissions from over 14,000 cars.
Biodiversity conservation: Studies have confirmed that solar projects can increase wildlife populations and overall biodiversity by allowing soil and habitat to rest and regenerate, since once constructed solar farms remain untouched for decades.
Revenue to local agencies: 4349,300-$449,100 in new tax revenue per year, over the next 35 years, that will stay local and bring millions of dollars to local schools and other community services, without raising taxes on local families
Community dialogue – we want to be a good neighbor
At Lightsource bp, we not only develop solar projects. We own and operate them, making us a committed long-term partner in St. Landry Parish.
A critical step in all of our projects is soliciting community feedback to help shape our final plans. We welcome your questions and comments to ensure that our Prairie Ronde solar farm is a great project for your community.
It’s so much more than a solar farm
A solar farm is so much more than you think. It’s a jobs farm. It’s a biodiversity farm. It’s an educational farm for local schools. It’s a new year-round type of harvest for your neighbor farmers that helps them keep their land for future generations.
Why solar?
Solar is a passive form of technology, generating emissions-free electricity that adds security to our country’s energy mix. This, combined with its ability to bring our country’s energy costs down makes it an ideal energy source for the US.
- Solar farms are quiet, clean neighbors. They don’t emit any noise beyond the site boundaries and can be designed with screening to limit project visibility from neighbors’ residences and nearby roads.
- With a long-term land management plan, studies have shown that solar farms can meaningfully increase wildlife populations and biodiversity.
- Solar farms can help strengthen rural economies by creating local jobs, contributing significant annual revenue for local governments, providing dependable revenue to landowners in order to supplement farm income, and bringing multimillion dollar annual operations budgets that are primarily spent in the region.
Our responsible solar approach
Example of fencing that could be used for the White Trillium solar farm
Lightsource bp has a deep commitment to delivering safe, clean and affordable energy, as well as maximizing the environmental sustainability and positive social impacts of each of our projects. We call this approach Responsible Solar. We pay attention to every detail, from the fencing we choose to the vegetation we plant. As the project owner and operator, we want our Prairie Ronde solar farm to be a great project for the local community.
Customized long term land management plans
A long-term Land Management and Biodiversity plan will establish habitats to increase biodiversity through creation of pollinator habitat and natural undergrowth below the panels which helps to manage water runoff and drainage.
Screening and setbacks from residential areas
We design setbacks from nearby property lines, and plant evergreen screening wherever needed to protect our neighbors’ viewsheds. We’re eager to work with our neighbors on what types of plantings they prefer.
Maintenance and upkeep
$3.9 million will be invested annually during operations to maintain the facility and the land, and will induce economic growth throughout the Parish and State.
Pledge to recycling
Lightsource bp is committed to recycling all panels at our solar farms in the US – that includes any panels damaged during construction, operations, and all panels left at end of life of the project – at which time the installation will be dismantled, completely removed and the land returned to its original state.
Information and resources
We’ve put together a collection of resources for anyone who’d like to know more about our White Trillium solar farm project – or about solar in general.
SEIA Recycling Partners Across the U.S.
Study: Solar Farms Shown to Increase Biodiversity
Why Solar is the Natural Energy Choice
Why Biodiversity is a priority for us at Lightsource bp
Addressing Climate Change
Components of a Solar Farm
Solar farm FAQs
We’ve put together a list of the most commonly asked questions, and their answers.
Responsible Solar Stories
Find out more about our Responsible Solar approach
Jun 30, 2020
Recycling and lifecycle management of solar panels
Our commitment to recycling solar panels
Get in touch
If you’d like to find out more about this project, email WhiteTrilliumSolar@Lightsourcebp.com, or fill out the form below. We aim to get back to you within five working days.
