Chicago Company Plans Solar Farm Near Greentown

Chicago-based solar energy development company Ranger Power is planning to build a solar farm on nearly 2,000 acres east of the Howard County town of Greentown. The Kokomo Tribune reports Ranger Power, which originally announced the project in 2020, is the second company with plans to convert agriculture land in the county into solar energy harvesters.

The solar farm will cover up to 1,700 acres, and the publication reports solar panels will cover about a third of the area. The panels will be no taller than 20 feet.

The company launched a Facebook page and website for the proposed solar farm, called Locomotive Solar.

“The Locomotive Solar team is dedicated to making project information freely available and to giving residents of Howard County opportunities to learn more about the project and its many benefits,” Colin Snow, senior development manager for Ranger Power, said in a statement. “We believe in a community-first approach of sharing information, listening, and adapting all of which helps build a project that communities can support.”

The Kokomo Tribune reports the company has not yet applied for a special exemption permit. Ranger Power expects the project will last up to 35 years and will be decommissioned afterward.

In addition, Ranger Power has opened an office at Inventrek Park in Kokomo.

ENGIE, a French utility company, is also proposing a similar-sized project southeast of Greentown. The publication reports the project calls for a total area of 1,874 acres and is projected to generate 200 megawatts of electricity a year.