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New Independence solar farm up and running by the end of 2016

Posted at 4:49 AM, Sep 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-28 10:36:22-04

Independence is taking another step toward going green with an upcoming solar farm. It would generate renewable energy for more than 50,000 customers through the sun's rays.

Officials are celebrating its groundbreaking plan on Wednesday at 10 a.m.

It will be a three-megawatt farm, the largest community solar farm in the KC metro, pushing Independence Power & Light's renewable energy production to 13 percent.

"A customer can purchase up to 40 percent of their usage from this program, so if you're using 1,000 kilowatt hours in a month, then you would be able to purchase up to 400 kilowatt hours," Deputy Director of IPL Andrew Boatright said.

MC Power is building the farm and IPL is buying the energy from them.

IPL uses natural gas, coal and wind power already. The energy from the solar farm would show up as another line on the customer's bill. If they buy into the program, up to 40 percent of the energy they use would come from the solar panels. Customers have the option to sign up for up to 25 years.

Resident Brent Schondelmeyer is signed up for 15 years, and can't wait for the farm to go up.

"It benefits me as an individual by allowing me to sort of take a portion of my utility bill and say, 'I know what it'll be for the next 15 years,'" Schondelmeyer said.  "It helps the community by giving it an option."

Using the solar energy would add around $2.65 onto the customer's monthly bill, but Boatright says it's an affordable cost.

"Over time, as coal plants are retired and that generation changes more to natural gas, we anticipate the cost of natural gas to go up which would then increase the cost of electricity. So your portion of the bill with solar would remain constant," Boatright said.

The community aspect of the farm will allow customers to take part in renewable energy, even if they can't afford to install solar panels on their home or business, or if they're not allowed to.

"This isn't going to power a whole city or power an industrial plant, but it's a way to diversify energy generation," Boatright said.

City officials say the farm will be ready to go by the end of 2016.

For more information or to sign up, click here.

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Sarah Plake can be reached at Sarah.Plake@KSHB.com

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