In the first of three Warren County Commission hearings on rules for the creation of solar energy districts, county residents were given new details about eventual projects that might develop here.

New to the public was information about the size of future projects, which could one day generate almost $1 million in fees for local public services.

The rules currently under consideration by the Warren County Commission would allow for, and govern, any solar farm operation established in the county. However, energy companies Invenergy and Range Power are promoting the rules, and answered questions from the public Sept. 15 at the Warren County Administration Building.

Representatives of the two solar energy companies said they are hoping to establish solar farms on agricultural land in northern Warren County. The size of the operations together would total almost 3 percent of all farmable land in the county, said Invenergy lead developer Michelle Pavan.

Based on numbers Pavan provided, that would mean around 3,400 acres of solar farms.

As part of the proposed rules to allow these operations, county attorney Mark Vincent said the county would assess an annual permitting fee based on each solar farm's electrical capacity. The fee would be $2,250 per megawatt of electrical capacity, Vincent said.

That prompted a followup question from the public: What would be the capacity of the two companies' solar farms? How many megawatts?

Invenergy hopes to build a 300 megawatt solar farm, Pavan said. Pete Endres, with Ranger Power, said his company has plans for a 139 megawatt facility.

At a rate of $2,250 per megawatt, the facilities would pay about $988,000 in annual permit fees to Warren County.

Vincent, the county attorney, said the county would plan to distribute that money among schools, emergency districts and other taxing entities, similarly to how property taxes are distributed.

R-III Schools Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith said fees from a solar farm that operates for 30 or more years could benefit students who haven't even been born yet. He added that the school district has been going through financial challenges, which fees from solar farms could address.

"For us to increase wages, to have the same services, same programs (as neighboring counties), it takes money to do that," Klinginsmith commented.

Greater Warren County Economic Development Council representative Steve Etcher described solar power as a "game changer" for attracting new businesses to Warren County.

"One question (prospective businesses) have been asking more often in the past five or six years, is what level of renewable energy can we rely on in the community," Etcher said. "Some of the companies that we are trying to attract will require as much as 40 percent (electricity) sourced from renewable sources. ... We see that as a great opportunity to set our county apart."

Next hearings

Two more public hearings are scheduled to discuss proposed rules for solar energy districts.

The next hearing is Sept. 22, 7 p.m., at the Warren County Administration Building.

The last hearing will be Sept. 29, 6 p.m., at the Central Grove Church on Highway A.