Large solar array headed to Albion on Eagle Harbor Road

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 May 2019 at 7:35 am

ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board on Thursday voted in support of a ground-mounted solar array for Panek Farms on Eagle Harbor Road, north of Route 31.

The project includes 2,268 panels and will generate 748.44 kilowatts of power to be used by the farm. Panek is working with Solar Liberty Energy Systems on the project, with the electricity to be used by the Panek for drying corn and other farm needs. The solar power is expected to reduce the farm’s electricity bill by $75,000 annually.

Jim Panek, one of the farm owners, said the solar arrays will cover about 32 acres of non-productive farmland at an area that used to be a practice track for harness racing.

The farm has planted a row of trees as a visual buffer for the solar panels. The site is ideally located about a quarter-mile from an electricity substation. As part of the application, Panek is taking responsibility for removing and decommissioning the solar panels should the project become obsolete.

This is the third solar project backed recently by the County Planning Board. In December the board approved two projects in Ridgeway – 11,745 panels on Beals Road that would be for 4.3 megawatts and 18,295 panels on Allis Road that would be for 6.8 megawatts.

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