By Tara Hagan, The Observer
Workers are pulling out the collector panels already installed at what was to be the site of North America’s largest solar farm and replacing them with more efficient panels. That will reduce the project’s size but substantially boost its output of electricity, officials say.
First Solar, the new owners of the former OptiSolar project, is re-engineering the site in Sarnia’s southeast end to accept the more efficient panels, said company vice-president, Peter Carrie. “We’re delighted to be proceeding with this project. The bulk of this work has taken place over the past two or three weeks. We’re removing the old OptiSolar equipment, as far as the panels go, and doing some on-site preparation.”
The First Solar panels will reduce the overall footprint from 470 hectares (1,160 acres) to 445 hectares (1,100 acres).
“That way, there’s more room for planting grass and trees,” he said.
Working with a number of local contractors, the project at its peak will employ more than 350 people, Carrie said. Construction is expected to be completed next year, with a break during the winter. “What people will see over the summer is work in two or three different areas of the western part of the site,” he said.
That work includes trenching for electrical conductors and mounting of the new panels.
Development of the solar farm was on hold for months following the sale of OptiSolar Farms Canada, prompting the redesign.
First Solar now hopes to boost output from the system to 80 megawatts from 60 megawatts, Carrie said.
Work began last fall on the site, which is bordered by Churchill Line, Highway 40, Confederation Street and Blackwell Sideroad.
At its peak about 100 construction workers were assembling solar panels and enough were connected to generate 2.5 megawatts of electricity.
But in January OptiSolar’s U.S. parent company announced major layoffs, impacting the manufacturing of panels destined for Sarnia.
The project slowed and in March OptiSolar Inc. sold most of its projects in Canada, the U.S. and Europe to First Solar.
Neighbours were concerned when First Solar applied to rezone a portion of the property from rural to industrial use.
“The land in question was quite a small piece of the overall site, only about 65 acres,” Carrie said.
City council approved the rezoning application in June and approved the official plan amendment in July. The appeal period ends Aug. 5.