By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The developer of the proposed 200-megawatt Silver Maple solar project in Zeeland and Jamestown townships will host a meeting Feb. 26 to detail the project and get public input.
RWE Clean Energy, a German-based company with its U.S. headquarters in Texas, will hold the meeting at 6 p.m. at the Dozeman Center inside the Drenthe Grove park, 615 68th Ave. RWE has rented the Dozeman Center from the township to hold this meeting, Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma said.
The meeting will be directed by RWE staff and in no way involves anyone from Zeeland Township. The only communication the township has received about the meeting was through a public notice that was sent to the township, Bosma said.
RWE is planning to apply to the Michigan Public Service Commission for approval of the $300 million Silver Maple project. The company is applying for the project under the entity name Silver Maple PV, LLC, according to the project website.
As of Monday, no application for the project had been filed with the MPSC, commission spokesman Matt Helms said.
The project has generated considerable opposition from township residents who are concerned that it will hurt local agriculture and the township’s rural character.
According to its website, the Silver Maple project will consist of solar panels and inverters arranged in photovoltaic arrays, along with associated facilities and infrastructure. The project is proposed to cover 52 parcels of land, totaling 1,914 acres, in Zeeland and Jamestown townships. All of the parcels are zoned either agricultural or agricultural rural residential, according to project documents.
“The associated facilities and infrastructure include the project substation, switchyard, operations and maintenance (O&M) building, overhead transmission line to point-of-interconnection (POI), underground electrical cables (collection) to the project substation, perimeter fencing, temporary and permanent stormwater basins, laydown yard for construction, and access roads to each PV array and the project substation,” RWE said on the project website.
The portion of Zeeland Township most affected by Silver Maple is generally within an area bordered by Air Park Drive on the west, Adams Street on the south, 48th Avenue at the township line on the east and Interstate 196 on the north, according to the project map.
RWE’s application comes as the township has been working on developing what’s defined as a workable incompatible ordinance” that is stricter than Public Act 233, the current state law regulating renewable energy projects, but not so strict that a developer may bypass the township entirely and seek approval through the MPSC. The revised ordinance is expected to be presented to the township Planning Commission when it meets next Tuesday.
RWE has paid the township $400 for the use of the Dozeman Center for the Feb. 26 presentation – a $250 nonresident fee plus a $150 deposit, Township Manager Josh Eggleston said.
Written comments from those unable to attend the Feb. 26 meeting may be sent to project manager Joe Brochu at silvermaplesolar@rwe.com.
Zeeland Record
The developer of the proposed 200-megawatt Silver Maple solar project in Zeeland and Jamestown townships will host a meeting Feb. 26 to detail the project and get public input.
RWE Clean Energy, a German-based company with its U.S. headquarters in Texas, will hold the meeting at 6 p.m. at the Dozeman Center inside the Drenthe Grove park, 615 68th Ave. RWE has rented the Dozeman Center from the township to hold this meeting, Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma said.
The meeting will be directed by RWE staff and in no way involves anyone from Zeeland Township. The only communication the township has received about the meeting was through a public notice that was sent to the township, Bosma said.
RWE is planning to apply to the Michigan Public Service Commission for approval of the $300 million Silver Maple project. The company is applying for the project under the entity name Silver Maple PV, LLC, according to the project website.
As of Monday, no application for the project had been filed with the MPSC, commission spokesman Matt Helms said.
The project has generated considerable opposition from township residents who are concerned that it will hurt local agriculture and the township’s rural character.
According to its website, the Silver Maple project will consist of solar panels and inverters arranged in photovoltaic arrays, along with associated facilities and infrastructure. The project is proposed to cover 52 parcels of land, totaling 1,914 acres, in Zeeland and Jamestown townships. All of the parcels are zoned either agricultural or agricultural rural residential, according to project documents.
“The associated facilities and infrastructure include the project substation, switchyard, operations and maintenance (O&M) building, overhead transmission line to point-of-interconnection (POI), underground electrical cables (collection) to the project substation, perimeter fencing, temporary and permanent stormwater basins, laydown yard for construction, and access roads to each PV array and the project substation,” RWE said on the project website.
The portion of Zeeland Township most affected by Silver Maple is generally within an area bordered by Air Park Drive on the west, Adams Street on the south, 48th Avenue at the township line on the east and Interstate 196 on the north, according to the project map.
RWE’s application comes as the township has been working on developing what’s defined as a workable incompatible ordinance” that is stricter than Public Act 233, the current state law regulating renewable energy projects, but not so strict that a developer may bypass the township entirely and seek approval through the MPSC. The revised ordinance is expected to be presented to the township Planning Commission when it meets next Tuesday.
RWE has paid the township $400 for the use of the Dozeman Center for the Feb. 26 presentation – a $250 nonresident fee plus a $150 deposit, Township Manager Josh Eggleston said.
Written comments from those unable to attend the Feb. 26 meeting may be sent to project manager Joe Brochu at silvermaplesolar@rwe.com.
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