The Waite Park Planning Commission unanimously approved a proposed solar power project on the south side of Waite Park at their Oct. 8 meeting, sending the proposal to the city council.
The proposed solar development from Minneapolis-based Nokomis Energy would provide four megawatts of power, the largest size Minnesota allows. The project would cover 19.7 acres along County Road 137 with 9,075 solar panels at a maximum height of 10 feet.
The solar array would serve as a “community solar garden,” where nearby residents and organizations who cannot host their own solar panels can sign up to receive energy from the site.
Customers who subscribe to energy from the garden will receive a discounted rate, Nokomis Energy’s Project Developer Fritz Ebinger said, in exchange for avoiding grid congestion by consuming energy near where it’s produced.
“The energy, the dollars, stay here. They’re supposed to circulate in the community, rather than in…
