A new solar farm is in the works in Madison County, Ohio. Although Intel in Licking County has taken the spotlight in recent months boasting job creation, the solar farm is not receiving the same attention. Rather, there is a major opposition to the solar farm.
Firstly, Madison County residents are unhappy with the 6,050 acres of land, especially local agriculture-related, that the project will occupy. Although this investment would result in Ohio having one of the largest solar fields in the United States and a massive, sustainable energy source for Ohio, residents feel their county should not have to be the only one affected in attempts to make Ohio's energy supply greener. Rather, some have sought for counties around Ohio to adopt smaller solar fields and distribute the responsibility to all Ohioans for improved infrastructure. This project is expected to cost around $1 billion. Infrastructure is a sticky subject in the United States, especially when it comes to green energy as it is usually expensive to adopt. However, there are ways for rural communities to benefit from sustainable energy.
One notable part of this story is that much of the farmland set to be used in this solar field is owned by Midwest Farms which is believed to be owned by Bill Gates. So, could this be yet another business venture for Gates?
https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2024/03/21/ohio-solar-farm-on-land-partially-owned-by-bill-gates-wins-approval/73051549007/
2 comments:
What specific concerns are Madison County residents raising about the impact of the proposed solar farm on local agriculture and the community as a whole?
Part of my family lives in Madison County and it is made up of mostly farmland so it is understandable that the residents are concerned about solar fields taking up what is a significant part of their community, however it may still be for the best even if there are some growing pains.
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