The 577 MW Fox Squirrel Solar project in Ohio is now fully operational, delivering full generational capacity to Amazon.
Fox Squirrel Solar is owned in a 50-50 partnership between EDF Renewables and Enbridge. The solar farm consists of 1.4 million Canadian solar modules on Array trackers, along with 159 SMA inverters. The project is spread across approximately 3,444 acres in Madison County, Ohio.
For now, Fox Squirrel Solar is the largest operational solar project in Ohio, and among the largest solar farms east of the Mississippi River. However, an 800 MW project is currently underway, which will also be located in Madison County.
The project is EDF Renewable’s largest investment in North America, said Kate O’Hair, EDF Renewable’s senior vice president for onshore development.
About 650 workers installed approximately 10,000 solar panels per day during the project’s peak construction, according to EDF Renewables.
The project’s generation will be delivered to Amazon through power purchase agreements (PPA). PPAs are agreements in which a third-party developer installs, owns and operates an energy system and then sells its electric output to a customer for a predetermined period. PPAs are advantageous to both parties: they allow customers to receive stable and often low-cost electricity with no upfront cost, and they enable the system’s owner to take advantage of tax credits while also receiving income from the electricity’s sale.
The Fox Squirrel Solar project was proposed during Ohio’s solar boom, which began in 2022 when Ohio began establishing itself as a market for utility-scale solar development.
The project became operational in three phases. The first phase began delivering electricity to the PJM grid in December 2023, the second in July 2024, and the final phase in December 2024.
According to EDF Renewables, Fox Squirrel Solar will generate approximately $5.19 million in annual tax revenues to Madison County and local taxing districts. At the end of its useful life, EDF Renewables said the facility will be decommissioned and the land can be returned to its original agricultural use.
Public opposition led to several large solar projects in Ohio to be rejected. In August 2023, the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) revised its guidelines for solar facilities that exceed 50 MW ac. These updates include sound regulations that extend to a mile away, modified setbacks that allow for a 350-foot setback for non-participating neighbors and a contingency plan in the event of a horizontal directional drilling inadvertent release of drilling fluid.
Ohio continues to navigate development challenges due to “general opposition by local citizens and governmental bodies.” Various counties in the state have taken steps to prohibit wind and solar projects outright. Currently, several counties have implemented solar bans. Clermont County Commissioners unanimously barred large solar and wind projects in seven townships.
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