[Madison, Wis.] – Jon Baker, vice president of Development for Doral Renewables and project manager for the Vista Sands Solar Project, recently published a column in The Capital Times, highlighting the project’s capacity to advance the state’s renewable energy goals and its restoration of native grasslands to central Wisconsin.
Baker emphasizes the project’s dedicated effort to bring not only economic benefits to Portage County and surrounding areas, but also an unprecedented opportunity to restore native grasslands and wildlife habitats to the region, which have been lost due to years of agricultural and urban development. He writes:
“If built to its proposed capacity, Vista Sands Solar will restore 6,700 acres of grasslands to the area. While most of Wisconsin’s grasslands have been lost to agricultural and urban development since 1850, Vista Sands will allow important habitats to be restored while still providing stable income to local farmers. Using a conservation seed mix comprised of 17 native grass and sedge species, as well as 31 native wildflower species that will bloom throughout the seasons, Vista Sands Solar will provide excellent habitat for pollinators and grassland birds.”
Read the full piece here or below:
Op-Ed: Solar project furthers conservation, clean-energy goals
Jon Baker
May 11, 2024
Over the past two years, the Vista Sands Solar Project has been diligently planning a state-of-the-art solar energy project in Portage County, located in the village of Plover and towns of Buena Vista, Grant and Plover.
It’s been a pleasure getting to know our dedicated community members and local leaders, and we’re thrilled to champion Vista Sands Solar as a pivotal project in sync with Wisconsin’s conservation efforts and renewable energy goals.
As proposed, the project would generate 1,300 megawatts of clean, carbon-free electricity — enough to power more than 200,000 Wisconsin homes and marking a significant stride towards Wisconsin’s goal of broader adoption of renewable energy. Throughout the planning stages and continuing today, we have met with members of the community to ensure the project design reflects local concerns and priorities. We’re not just about generating power; we’re committed to responsible environmental practices and environmental stewardship every step of the way.
While the economic benefits of the project are clear — with an over $1 billion-dollar initial investment and millions in added revenue for local municipalities annually — our focus on being responsible neighbors is paramount. We believe that environmental stewardship starts with us, which is why we’re proud to say that Vista Sands Solar will bring with it many local environmental benefits.
If built to its proposed capacity, Vista Sands Solar will restore 6,700 acres of grasslands to the area. While most of Wisconsin’s grasslands have been lost to agricultural and urban development since 1850, Vista Sands will allow important habitats to be restored while still providing stable income to local farmers. Using a conservation seed mix comprised of 17 native grass and sedge species, as well as 31 native wildflower species that will bloom throughout the seasons, Vista Sands Solar will provide excellent habitat for pollinators and grassland birds.
Additionally, the project will drastically eliminate the application of fertilizer, insecticides and herbicides used in crop production. Each acre of crops can use between 350 and 900 pounds of fertilizer per year. Conservatively, the project would avoid over 1,000 tons of fertilizer across the project area annually. Similarly, the project is expected to avoid tens of thousands of gallons of insecticides and herbicides each year.
Even where portions of the proposed project are located next to the Buena Vista Wildlife Area, we are committed to ensuring best practices to support the species that depend upon it.
Vista Sands Solar has met with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on multiple occasions to focus on incorporating design principles that not only mitigate adverse impacts but also provide ecological benefits to the greater prairie chicken (GRPC) and other bird species. Vista Sands Solar will not construct any solar panel arrays located within the Wildlife Area and will avoid construction within 1,000 feet of its GRPC leks.
Moreover, the project has voluntarily removed more than 500 acres of potential project area to avoid agricultural lands closest to conservation areas and allow for continued movement of the species through private property. To further uphold our conservation efforts, we plan to install bird diverters on project fences and limit mowing to avoid nesting birds. Our partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources will fund graduate research assistantships to conduct research on avian and other wildlife use at our project.
There are approximately 31,000 acres of farm ground within one mile of the 13,000 acres of managed conservation lands in the area. Even if Vista Sands Solar is constructed to full capacity, over 90% of this farm ground will remain available to GRPC movement. Having avoided the most sensitive areas, including known lek locations, we believe further restrictions would minimize the benefits of restoring native grasslands, unnecessarily reduce the amount of clean energy delivered to the grid, and restrict famers’ ability to financially benefit from the nationwide transition to renewable energy.
At Vista Sands Solar, we’re not just building a solar project to power the state; we’re forging a path toward a greener future while safeguarding Wisconsin’s natural heritage for generations to come. We’re excited to continue working hand in hand with all stakeholders to create a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow.
Jon Baker is the vice president of Development for Doral Renewables and project manager for the Vista Sands Solar Project.
Read the piece here.
