Selectboard and Planning Commission Meet Dec 19 and Dec 20 to Review Solar Farm Proposal
by Nancy Wood
December 14, 2011.....

There is a proposal soon to go to the Public Service Board (PSB) for a 2.2-megawatt solar farm on 15 acres off Hinesburg Road in East Charlotte. The project would consist of about 345 fixed-panel solar arrays, and would generate enough electricity to power about 315 homes.

The developer is Charlotte Solar, LLC, an entity established by American Capital Energy, Inc (ACE). ACE has installed more than 30 MW of solar PV in seven states. It was managing 20 percent of all utility-scale arrays under construction in the United States in 2010. See info at www.americancapitalenergy.com.

Charlotte Solar expects to file a Section 248 Petition with the PSB after the 45-day notice period expires(which is running now), but no sooner than January 3.

The Selectboard will hold an information session and public forum on Monday, December 19, at 6 p.m., and then will meet again on Tuesday, December 20, at the same time as the Planning Commission meets (6 p.m.). Both bodies will discuss what, if any, comments will be sent to the PSB.