A solar panel project in Greene County cleared one major hurdle and needs to complete one more step.

On April 21st, the Iowa Utilities Board approved Grand Junction Solar, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid Renewables, its application and issued a certificate of public convenience, use and necessity to construct a 100-megawatt solar panel farm near Grand Junction, and an associated Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity of up to 50-megawatts. 

According to the document filed with the IUB, the project includes 1,103 acres, with the majority housing an estimated total of 250,000 solar panels and associated electric generating equipment. The useful lifespan of the panels is expected to be 35 years and will generate a total of $4.1 million of local tax money. 

One of the final hurdles is obtaining a conditional use permit through the Greene County Board of Adjustment. A public hearing has been set for tomorrow at 6pm in the boardroom of the Greene County Courthouse. Should a permit be approved, construction is anticipated to start this fall with full operation by the end of next year. Click the link below to see the documents of this project that are filed with the IUB.