Here is where commercial-scale solar arrays are being proposed in Newport County
More than 10 commercial-scale solar arrays have been proposed or built in three Newport County communities during the past four years, but how many more will follow?
Middletown and Portsmouth have adopted more restrictive ordinances regulating solar arrays in the past two months, and Tiverton, where there is a moratorium on new projects, is working on a tighter ordinance. The largest projects have been proposed in Tiverton so far.
The Navy, which is under federal jurisdiction, built a 14.8-acre solar array at West Main and Stringham roads in Portsmouth and is planning another large solar field on one of its tank farms in Portsmouth.
Tiverton
Four large commercial-scale projects have been proposed: One has been withdrawn, one has been built, and two are still in the permitting process.
• Brayton Road Solar, at 390, 394 and 446 Brayton Road, received master plan approval in August 2019 for 55.2 acres of solar panels on a 101-acre tract of woodland and farmland that would require cutting about 10,000 trees to clear 66.8 acres of the property for the project. The project received preliminary plan approval earlier this year and the final plan is expected to be taken up by the Planning Board on Jan. 11, 2022.
• Cook Farm Solar Project at 4366 Main Road would have a 19-acre solar installation on a 70-acre parcel. The applicants for this project are Deborah and Kevin Sanford of Fogland LLC. This project has received final plan approval from the Planning Board.
• Wingover Farm Solar, at 1519 Crandall Road, is a 15-acre solar array on the farm’s 72 acres. The project, first proposed in the fall of 2018, went through the town’s approval and permitting process. It was developed by Ameresco of Framingham, Massachusetts.
The original proposal was for a 40-acre solar array, but was downsized significantly. A historic farmhouse, built around 1730, as well as an old barn and a more contemporary barn were razed for the project.
• New England Energy proposed a 20-acre solar array on a 30-acre parcel at 960 Stafford Road, but later withdrew the application. The array would have been on the east side of Stafford Road across from the intersection with Old Stafford Road.
Portsmouth
Four commercial solar arrays have been proposed: One has been rejected by the Planning Board, but the other three are well into the permitting process.
• Nimali Power RI LLC, proposed a 6-acre solar array at 2340 West Main Road on the corner of Union Street in a Commercial 1 district. Master plan approval was denied by the Planning Board on Nov. 10. An appeal to Zoning Board of Review is possible, but no appeal has been filed.
• West Main Solar 1, LLC, proposed an approximately 12-acre solar array off West Main Road, south of Lehigh Terrace near the Melville Elementary School, in both Light Industrial and Commercial 1 districts. The master plan and the preliminary plan have been approved by the Planning Board. The final plan review is pending and will be on the Planning Board’s Dec. 8 meeting agenda.
• West Main Solar 2, LLC, proposed an approximately 10-acre solar array off West Main Road, north of Russo Road. The Zoning Board approved a special-use permit for this project in May 2021. The special use permit was required because it is in a residential zone and the developer now has to fulfill the conditions of approval before applying for a building permit.
• West Shore Solar LLC, owned by Carnegie Trails LLC, has proposed an approximately 14-acre solar array at 226 West Shore Road in a Heavy Industrial district. The master plan has been approved and the preliminary plan review will be on the Planning Board’s Dec. 8 agenda.
Middletown
Two projects of substantial size have been proposed, one of them completed.
• Green Development LLC of Coventry has proposed an almost 10-acre solar array at 1747 West Main Road. The Planning Board is now conducting a development plan review and project needs a special use permit from the Zoning Board.
• The K&K Beach Club LLC developed in 2019 a 5-acre solar array at 1133 West Main Road.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Commercial solar panel array proposals, projects in Newport County RI
