New environmentally-friendly community solar project comes to Dover
Dover, Del. – An environmentally sustainable community solar project is coming to Dover residents. The KE73 Community Solar Farm developed by Nautilus Solar and TurningPoint Energy is a new four-megawatt solar farm and, as rates spike due to increased demand on the energy grid from data centers, officials say it couldn’t come at a better time.
“PJM capacity auctions have cleared short of their reliability threshold now for multiple auctions, and we simply need more generation,” Public Advocate for the State of Delaware said Jameson Tweedie said. “We are dependent on generation elsewhere in the region. And building local generation is critically important.”
Nick Theisan, managing director of Business Development at TurningPoint Energy, said the company has developed and financed ten projects totaling more than 47 megawatts of renewable energy, with another 60-plus megawatts in permanent or in late stages of development.
The solar farm is in State Sen. Kyra Hoffner’s (D – District 14) district and is located near where she herself lives. In remarks to Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony attendees, the senator expressed excitement over the efforts coming to fruition.
“It’s not just an investment in clean energy,” Hoffner said. “It’s an investment in the people who live and work here.”
Recent legislation also guarantees a minimum of 10% savings for subscribers of these projects and a minimum of 20% savings for those who meet the low-income threshold.
Caroline Belmont, manager of business development at Turning Point Energy, said Senate Bill 321, which passed last month, codified savings for all community solar customers.
“There’s 10% off for all customers across the board, at least,” she said. “For [low- to moderate-income] customers, it’s a minimum of 20% off their bill. Which is huge.” Belmont also said the definition for LMI customers was broadened slightly to include more people.
She said SB 321 also made it easier to consolidate billing, so customers only have to pay their provider and see a discount on their bill.
“What the customer sees is just one bill, the regular Delmarva Power bill with the community solar savings taken off of it,” she said. “It’s a much more simplified system.”
As for community solar customers, after learning the solar farm can be completely taken apart after its 35-year lease with no lasting ecological impact, some described it as a “win-win” for their wallets and the environment.
“It’s just a good feeling to see it in person,” Middletown, Del. resident Tom Shorty said. He said he and his wife, Amy Huebner, had signed up for a community solar project and wanted to see what community solar farms were like for themselves.
“It gives me a little bit more hope, you know, it’s a good thing,” Huebner said.
Belmont said if there is one thing she hopes more people understand about their project, it is to see it in person.
“There are trees and flowers, and these panels just sit there for, you know, 25, 30 years exactly like this. It’s very noninvasive,” she said.
