Hoosier Solar lands permits for Starke County solar projects
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Knox-based Hoosier Solar announced this week it has secured permits for two planned solar projects in Starke County. The company said when complete, the solar farms will provide enough energy to power more than 53,000 homes.
Hoosier Solar is investing a total of $650 million at the two project sites, which cover more than 2,500 acres. The solar farms—North Bend and Starke Central—will be located east of Bass Lake and northeast of Knox, respectively.
“Our Starke County projects will generate positive economic impact that will benefit the entire county and will deliver clean, American-made energy into Indiana’s rapidly expanding grid,” Hoosier Solar CEO Steven Lichtin. “We look forward to continuing to act as good neighbors and are grateful for the support our projects have received from residents and county officials.”
A spokesperson for Hoosier Solar said in an email to Inside INdiana Business that $10 million has already been invested to develop the projects.
Hoosier Solar said the solar farms will bring more than $1 million in economic benefits to Starke County annually. The projects are also expected to lower property taxes for the community by more than $285,000 annually, the company said.
Construction on the solar farms is slated to begin in 2026 and take about 18 months to complete.
The spokesperson added that local labor will be utilized for construction of the solar farms, and the projects will result in 10 full-time jobs to maintain the farms, with salaries averaging $75,000.