Byers Solar Farm is a 150 MW agrivoltaic solar installation in Adams County, Colorado. Built, owned and operated by Silicon Ranch, an independent power producer, the energy produced at the farm will be sold to United Power through a power purchase agreement (PPA). Agrivolatics is the practice of co-locating solar energy generation with agricultural production.
United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms, and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range.
“As United Power continues to add to its diverse power portfolio, the Byers Solar Farm illustrates the best-case scenario for local production,” said Mark A. Gabriel, president and CEO of United Power. “Our partnership with Silicon Ranch allows us to build this project with the latest technology and development techniques to optimize the use of the site. Additionally, there are strong financial and environmental incentives for generating and delivering clean, renewable electricity locally.”
Silicon Ranch takes a holistic approach toward solar projects by employing what it calls “Regenerative Energy” to ensure that the solar installation does not disrupt the biodiversity and habitat of the area. The company is planning to establish short grass prairie at the site by pre-seeding before installation, and as it has done at many of its installations, it is considering having sheep grazing at the site upon completion.
During construction approximately 500 people will be employed, with a preference given to the local and military veteran pools, a Silicon Ranch spokesperson told pv magazine USA. Construction is expected to be complete in June 2030 after which time it will generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 45,000 homes annually.
This is Silicon Ranch’s fifth project with United Power in a decade ago. The projects include Fort Lupton Solar (13 MW), Mavericks Solar (6.5 MW), Platteville Solar (16 MW), and Rattlesnake Solar (6 MW). Silicon Ranch reports that each of these are located within the cooperative’s service territory, and they were developed working closely with local governments and neighboring landowners to make sure the projects fulfilled the needs of each community as well as those of United Power.
Silicon Ranch’s current portfolio includes more than 7 GW of solar and battery storage systems that are contracted, under construction, or operating across the U.S. and Canada.
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