Exhibit G - Summary of Public Outreach (Part 1 of 2)
Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
Summary of Public Outreach
This document summarizes the local public outreach made by Applicant during the development of the Project and, in particular, leading up to the filing of the Application.
Local Project Office
Applicant opened an office in Cardington, Ohio in January 2025. The office is located at 104 W. Main Street, Office C, in Cardington approximately 1 mile north of the Project. The office has provided a convenient location for the community to engage with Applicant and obtain information about the Project.
Community Relations
Open Road Renewables’ Manager of Public Relations, along with the Project’s lead developer, have had an active presence in the community since November 2024, ensuring ample opportunities for the community to engage with Applicant
Social Media
Applicant created a website for the Project in February 2025: https://www.crossroads.solar/
Applicant created a Facebook Page for the Project in February 2025: https://www.facebook.com/crossroadssolar
Applicant regularly updates the website and Facebook page.
Briefings of Township Officials
Applicant first met with trustees of Westfield Township in June 2022. Applicant first met with the trustees of Lincoln and Cardington Townships in December 2024 Since that time, Applicant has attended over 20 regular township meetings to brief the trustees and the public on the status of the Project, answer questions, and address concerns.
Outreach to County Officials
Applicant has been in regular communication with the Morrow County Commissioners and county staff Additionally, Applicant has briefed the following local officials and organizations about the Project:
• Cardington-Lincoln Local School District Staff
• Morrow County Soil & Water District
• Morrow County Engineer
• Morrow County Auditor
Outreach to City Officials
Even though the Village of Cardington is outside the boundaries of the Project, Applicant met with Village staff and attended a meeting of the Village Council in May 2025 to brief village officials about the Project.
Letter to Nearby Residents
In March 2025, Applicant mailed introduction letters to all residents in Westfield Township, Lincoln Township, Cardington Township, and the Village of Cardington. The letter provided overviews of the Project and the OPSB permitting process, including information about the Public Information Meetings. A copy of the Introduction Letter and information enclosed with the letter is provided in Appendix A.
Outreach to Project Neighbors
Since January 2025, Applicant has conducted extensive outreach to the community in the form of letters, door-to-door canvassing, phone calls, individual meetings, group meetings, and the Public Information Meetings Applicant has conducted three rounds of outreach to the owners of properties adjoining, or within ¼ mile of, the Project. A principal objective of this outreach was for Applicant to obtain feedback and address concerns regarding the Project’s proposed site plan. (See below for details regarding changes made to Project plans as a result of this feedback.) These three rounds of outreach are further described below, and the referenced letters, including information enclosed with the letters, are provided in Appendix B.
The first round of neighbor outreach occurred between January and March 2025 and included approximately 48 residential property owners adjoining, or within ¼ mile of, the Project. The purpose of the initial outreach was to provide information regarding utility-scale solar energy, generally, the Project, and Applicant’s “Good Neighbor Program” (GNP). Applicant contacted neighbors through a combination of letters and door-to-door canvassing. A copy of Neighbor Letter #1 is provided in Appendix B.
Neighbor Letter #1 included an overview of and invitation to participate in the Project’s Residential GNP. The Residential Good Neighbor Agreement details Applicant’s commitments regarding certain aspects of the Project’s design relevant to neighbors and offers financial compensation in recognition of the inconvenience of construction activities for Project neighbors. Compensation is a one-time payment of $14,500 payment shortly after commencement of construction of the Project. As of August 29, 2025, 23 neighbors (nearly half of the eligible neighbors) have signed agreements to participate in the Residential GNP.
The second round of outreach occurred in March and April 2025. In this round of outreach, Applicant reached out to the approximately 15 owners of agricultural properties (i.e. farm fields) adjacent to the Project regarding Applicant’s Farming GNP in which these neighbors are eligible to participate. The Farming GNA details Applicant’s commitments regarding drain tile systems in the Project area and measures to be taken to prevent drainage problems on the neighbor’s property. This agreement includes compensation for certain crop damages related to drainage. A copy of Neighbor Letter #2a regarding the Farming GNP is provided in Appendix B
As part of the second round of outreach, Applicant invited all Project neighbors (both residential and farming) to attend a series of meetings about the Project with geographically grouped neighbors at Applicant’s office in Cardington. Applicant hosted a total of 5 meetings between April 7 and April 16. Approximately 14 neighbors attended the 5 meetings. A copy of Neighbor Letter #2b is provided in Appendix B.
The third round of outreach occurred in June and July 2025 and included a Project update, an additional offer to meet to discuss the proposed Project, and a reminder about the GNP. A copy of Neighbor Letter #3 is provided in Appendix B.
The letters mentioned above are in addition to the official notices regarding the two PIMs that were sent by Applicant’s legal counsel.
As mentioned above, one objective of Applicant’s neighbor outreach, as well as the first Public Information Meeting, was to obtain feedback on the Project’s preliminary site plan. Applicant met with over 40 neighbors between January and May. Applicant obtained valuable input about various aspects of the proposed facility during these meetings, particularly regarding surface equipment locations and perimeter landscaping. In order to address some of the concerns expressed by Project neighbors and the other community members, Applicant made a number of changes to the preliminary layout for the Project, including:
• Opting not to install solar panels or other surface equipment on 1 participating parcel;
• Increasing the setback between solar panels and portions of County Road 25;
• Increasing the setback between solar panels and portions of County Road 165;
• Increasing the setback between solar panels and portions of Watson Road;
• Increasing the setback between solar panels and an adjoining property near the intersection of County Roads 155 and 165;
• Relocating a portion of the underground medium voltage collection system near County Road 165;
• Relocating a project entrance on County Road 155; and
• Adding or enhancing vegetative screening in several locations around the Project;
A comparison of the preliminary layout before and after community input, depicting the changes made as a result of the input, is included in Appendix C.
Applicant intends to continue its outreach to neighbors and the community in the coming months.
Public Information Meetings
Applicant held two Public Information Meetings (PIMs) regarding the Project. The PIMs are a good opportunity for members of the public who might not be comfortable meeting one-on-one with the Crossroads team to ask questions and to leave written comments. The first PIM was held on March 11, 2025, and the second PIM was held on June 3, 2025. Various visuals such as preliminary site plans, the preliminary landscaping plan, and the preliminary locations of drain tile in the Project area, were on display at the events, and printed materials about the Project and utility-scale solar energy development were available for the public to take. A number of subject matter experts were present to address questions about various topics, including landscaping, drain tile, construction, PV technology, agrivoltaics, and other relevant topics. Representatives from Crossroads were in attendance as well. The materials made available during the two PIMs are provided as Appendix D. (Most of the materials at the second PIM was identical to the information provided at the first PIM. The only significant difference was the Preliminary Maximum Site Plan and the Preliminary Landscape Plan information, both of which
incorporated the changes discussed above.) Since the PIM, Applicant has had follow-up meetings with a number of the attendees.
Each of the PIMs was held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, although attendees arrived as early as 4:30 PM, and throughout that time, attendees were encouraged to engage with the experts and information at their own pace. The Crossroads team encouraged attendees to sign in, to create a record of attendance and as a means for Crossroads personnel to follow-up with additional information (although not everyone did so). Applicant estimates that 80-100 people attended the first PIM and 30-40 attended the second PIM, which represent successful outcomes for attendance.
Many of the written comments that were submitted are not about the Project specifically, but instead express the attendee’s view regarding solar energy, generally. Of the 12 comments that were submitted, 9 generally expressed positive views of solar energy (and/or the event). 3 comments expressed negative views of solar energy. The written comment cards that were collected at the two PIMs are included in Appendix D.
Informal Open House
In order to provide an additional opportunity for interested members of the public to learn about the Project, Applicant hosted an informal Open House on June 10, 2025. One member of the public attended the event, along with several public officials.
Local Organizations/Events
Applicant joined the following local organizations or participated in the following local community events:
• Member and Sponsor, Morrow County Chamber of Commerce
• Sponsor, 2024 Morrow County Fair
• Sponsor, 2024 Christmas in Cardington hosted by the Friends of Cardington
• Sponsor, 2025 Cardington Street Fair hosted by the Friends of Cardington
• Sponsor, 2025 Street Fair Car Show hosted by the Cardington Volunteer Fire Department
• Sponsor, 2025 Camp PEPA hosted by the Morrow County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Appendix A
Introduction Letter
March 21, 2025
Re: Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
Dear Neighbor:
In case we haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet, we’re writing to introduce ourselves and to let you know about a solar energy and sheep grazing facility under development south of Cardington called the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center. The facility will consist of fenced groups of solar panels installed on the ground that will deliver energy to existing overhead power lines in the area while also providing new pasture for livestock. It will generate clean, quiet energy and provide real financial benefits to the area. Our company, Open Road Renewables, has successfully developed many energy projects and around the country, including one of the first large solar projects in Ohio. We want to make the promises of economic opportunity and energy security a reality for American communities
Solar energy brings many benefits to the Ohio communities that host them. In addition to increasing energy independence, creating good-paying, Ohio-based construction jobs, and protecting farm land from permanent loss to real estate development, Crossroads will generate significant new revenue for the community. If the proposed “payment-in-lieu-of-taxes” (PILOT) isapproved,Crossroads willcontributeupto$846,000ayearinnewrevenuetoMorrow County taxing jurisdictions, including up to $348,000 to the Cardington-Lincoln Local School District. Enclosedis moreinformationabout Crossroads andwhat it could meanfor thearea Also enclosed is a document correcting the record about some inaccurate information about solar energy that has been circulating in the County. More information about Crossroads and our company is available here: https://www.crossroads.solar/
What comes next?
(1) Public Information Meeting: We advertised and hosted a first informational community meeting about the facility on March 11 in Cardington A second meeting will be held in the near future. Details will be advertised throughout the community and on the website listed above
(2) Permit Application Submission and Review: We plan to submit a permit application for the facility to the Ohio Power Siting Board (or “OPSB”), which
regulates large power plants in Ohio, in the next few months. This will start yearlong evaluation that includes several opportunities for local community input. OPSB also will seek input from other state agencies such as the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, and the Ohio EPA, as well as from local officials. The evaluation process is rigorous and transparent.
If you would like to know more about the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center, we would love to hear from you. Our contact information is below. You are also welcome to stop by our office at 114 W. Main in Cardington (full address below). We look forward to hearing from you!
Best regards,
Craig Adair
Dan Cech Vice President – Development Director of Community Relations
The Crossroads Solar Grazing Center (the “Project”) is a proposed 94 Megawatt (MW) solar project located in Westfield, Lincoln, and Cardington Townships in Morrow County, Ohio and is under development by Open Road Renewables. In partnership with Morrow County farmers and other private landowners, the Project will consist of 6-8 solar array fields totaling up to 611 acres of private property. Solar panels and other equipment will be enclosed with agricultural-style fencing, and views of the solar arrays will be mostly hidden with trees, shrubs, and other native vegetation planted around its perimeter. The project area will feature dual solar-agricultural land use, with flocks of sheep grazing under and around the panels to maintain the vegetation
CONTACT
US
Dan Cech Community Relations
810-623-7624 dan@openroadrenewables.com
Craig Adair VP of Development 512-297-6611
craig@openroadrenewables.com
114 W. Main Street Office C
Cardington, OH 43315
www.crossroads.solar
In addition to increasing energy independence and diversifying Ohio’s electricity generation, the Project will provide hundreds of thousands of dollars in new revenue for Morrow County, Cardington-Lincoln Schools, and the townships referenced above every year for the life of the Project.
The Open Road Renewables team is dedicated to a community-first approach to development that includes active participation in the Morrow County and Cardington communities, supporting local causes and initiatives, and soliciting community feedback Engagement with community members and leaders is well underway, and we look forward to hearing from you as well.
We hope the information in this packet is helpful. Please reach out to us if you have questions or concerns, would like to provide feedback, or want to get involved!
What is a "PILOT"?
CROSSROADS SOLAR GRAZING CENTER
Morrow County, OH
The Crossroads PILOT in action. Creating jobs, increasing local and state revenues, and creating clean and domestic energy.
$846,000 construction jobs of clean energy of the construction workforce must come from Ohio residents 70%
annually to local schools and services
180+
FULL-TIME JOBS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
FARMLAND PRESERVATION
LASTING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
LOCAL TRAINING
TRAINING PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL
REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN & IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE
EMS & FIRE TRAINING
SOLAR COMPONENTS
SOLAR PANELS
A Solar PV panel consists of a semiconductor material that absorbs the sun’s light and transfers that energy to negatively charged electrons This extra energy allows electrons to flow through the semiconductor material as electric current, which is collected by conductive metals.
PARTS OF A SOLAR PANEL
Solar projects use several industry standard solar panel varieties such as Crystalline, Crystalline Bi-facial, and Thin Film. Ohio is home to one of the largest solar panel manufacturing facilities in the entire world.
Solar panels are composed of layers of solid materials including tempered glass, plastic encapsulant, and semi-conductor material – meaning that, if damaged, there is nothing that can leak out.
QUICK FACTS
Solar panels are solid state and contain nothing that can leak out into the surrounding environment
Solar panels are designed and tested to perform at a high level for over 25 years
Solar technology is modular, allowing the same technology to be used on a house, farm, school, commercial building, or in a power generating facility
SOLAR COMPONENTS
INVERTERS
The DC cabling from strings of solar arrays is routed through combiner boxes to higher-capacity DC cabling that routes power to an inverter. Inverters consist of electric equipment that converts the power generated by the solar array from DC to AC. An associated transformer "steps up" the voltage of the AC power to 345kV
In the solar industry, inverters come in two principal forms: Central Inverter or String Inverter String Inverters, as the name implies, handle a string or several strings of solar panels. A Central Inverter is higher capacity and handles many strings. Almost all utility-scale solar projects in Ohio use Central Inverters.
Central Inverters are mounted on a gravel pad, cement foundation or metal skid in the interior of solar arrays (far from neighboring properties).
Inverters and the associated step-up transformers are sited to avoid off-site noise impacts of that occur during operations. For Open Road projects, this means that Central Inverters will be placed where there is no noticeable increase in noise levels at neighboring homes, and will be at least 500 feet from those homes
QUICK FACTS
Central inverters are sited centrally to project arrays to optimize the amount of DC cables used. Open Road commits to minimum setbacks from residences of 500 feet. Open Road conducts comprehensive sound monitoring and modeling during design and permitting to inform setback distances and avoid any noticeable increases in off-site noise during operations.
SOLAR COMPONENTS
5 YEAR HIGH DENSITY PLANTINGPOLLINATOR MIX, LARGE SHRUB / SMALL TREES AND LARGE TREES
LANDSCAPING
In addition to setbacks, array height restrictions, and smart project design, Open Road works with Ohio-licensed landscape architects to design robust and area-appropriate perimeter landscaping. Our approach to landscaping involves creating three or more landscaping design densities that we refer to as "modules"
These modules are designed using a wide range of native and adapted plant species, density of plantings, and number of rows of plantings The goal of each module is not necessarily to fully obscure the project from view from the start. Rather, the goal is to install a low maintenance and resilient planting design that grows over time and is appropriate the area
MEDIUMSIZEDTREES
QUICK FACTS
Open Road works with Ohio licensed landscaping architects to design sitespecific landscaping modules
Each module consists of diverse native and adapted plant species appropriate for the area
The project is responsible for maintaining all project landscaping
FENCING AND LIGHTING
Solar facilities in Ohio are expected to use agricultural-style fencing This fencing is typically woven wire and is supported by wood or metal posts that are either driven or cemented into the ground These fences are usually 6 to 7 feet high and do not include any barbed wire or razor wire. Chain-link style fencing and barbed wire are used only at the project and utility substations, as required by national codes
The entire perimeter of the project area is fenced for security purposes with secure, gated access points from public roads Although such fencing can restrict the passage of larger mammals, accommodations can be made in the fence to allow the passage of smaller animals Corridors along streams, larger ditches, forested areas, and roadway setbacks are frequently left open and function as wildlife corridors.
SOLAR COMPONENTS
Solar projects require minimal permanent lighting – typically only at project entrances, inverters, and the substation. Lighting at gates and inverters is motion-activated and shielded Otherwise, project lighting during operations is limited to temporary lighting when necessary for maintenance.
QUICK FACTS
Fencing is typically 6 -7 feet high Ohio expects the use of agriculturalstyle fencing without barbed wire. Fencing can be made wildlifepermeable to benefit smaller mammals.
Solar projects use minimal permanent lighting.
PROTECTING FARMLAND, DECOMMISSIONING, AND RESTORATION DEEP DIVES
Drain Tile
In addition to complying with Ohio EPA stormwater management regulations, Crossroads Solar will complete a comprehensive Drain Tile Assessment of the project area The assessment involves extensive mapping of existing drain tile based on information gathered from landowners, maps on file with the Morrow County Soil and Water Conservation District, and satellite imagery The Drain Tile Assessment will be submitted to the OPSB for review along with the Project's permit application. For most parts of the Project, the existing drain tile system will be decommissioned and a new one designed in concert with the solar facilities, which will be installed and maintained throughout the life of the Project. Crossroads Solar will consult with the owners of adjacent agricultural parcels regarding any shared drain tile infrastructure, and the Project’s permit will prohibit adverse drainage impacts on neighboring properties
Best Soil Management Practices
Crossroads Solar is committed to Best Management Practices to preserve agricultural soils during the construction and decommissioning of the Project These practices are designed to protect the topsoil and subsoils at the Project site. Crossroads Solar will conduct extensive soil testing before construction and after the Project is decommissioned to ensure soils are returned to at least their preconstruction conditions. Additionally, yearround vegetative cover and pollinator habitats reduce runoff, and reduced chemical loading of solar compared to modern farming practices are expected to improve soil quality over time
Decommissioning and Restoration
At the end of Crossroads Solar’s 40-year life, the project will be decommissioned and the land restored to its previous agricultural condition Ohio state law requires that solar projects submit financially-assured decommissioning plans before construction that detail the removal and restoration processes The law also requires solar project owners to post a “decommissioning bond,” which will be held by a third party to ensure sufficient funds will be available to cover all removal and restoration costs. The bond amount is re-evaluated every five years throughout the project's life to account for inflation and changes in disposal, labor, and other relevant costs.
Preserving Farmland
Crossroads Solar’s payments to participating landowners help families keep farms intact for future generations As a long-term but temporary land use, utility-scale solar facilities also protect farmland from permanent loss to real estate, commercial, and other types of development Furthermore, much like a conservation easement, solar facilities allow the soil to rest and for nutrients to be restored during the projects’ 40-year life-spans
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
TECHNOLOGY
Q. What kind of technology do solar projects use?
A. Solar projects use conventional solar panels just like those installed on the roofs of homes and businesses This wellestablished technology has been around for decades
Q. How do solar panels make electricity?
A. When sunlight hits a solar panel, the electrons in the solar panel’s semiconducting material become energized and create an electric current.
Q. Who uses the electricity from solar projects?
A The electricity from solar projects goes onto the high-voltage electrical grid that supplies power to everyone. That means power will flow to homes and businesses in the area where the project is located as well as to the larger region.
Q. Isn’t solar too expensive?
A No Innovation and competition have dramatically reduced the cost of solar in recent years. In many areas, solar now costs about the same or less than traditional sources.
Q. Doesn’t solar receive federal subsidies?
A All types of power generation (including coal, gas, hydro and nuclear power) receive economic benefits from certain federal policy incentives, and solar is no exception.
CONSTRUCTION & DECOMMISSIONING
Q. How long does it take to build a solar project?
A Construction of most solar projects takes roughly 12-15 months
Q. What happens at the end of the useful life of the solar panels?
A. After the productive life of the panels, which is 35-40 years, the solar project will be “decommissioned”, panels recycled or otherwise properly disposed of, and the land returned to its pre solar project condition
Q. What assurance is there that the project owner will carry out the decommissioning?
WHAT WE DO
A. Financial security, such as a bond, is required to ensure funds are always available for decommissioning and restoration of the land.
Q. What if the owner of a solar project goes bankrupt?
A If an owner went bankrupt, it is very likely that a new owner would take over. Solar projects are expensive to build but reliable and inexpensive to operate. So, there are strong incentives to continue a solar project’s operations.
LAND USE
Q. What impact do solar projects have on the land?
A Very little In flat areas, earth moving for solar projects is limited because because the steel piles for the panels are installed using the existing grades. Topsoil is preserved for future agricultural use. Essentially the entire site will planted with native grasses and maintained with minimal herbicide use.
Q. Do solar projects have foundations?
A The steel piles for panels generally have no foundations and inverters are installed on gravel pads, prefabricated concrete, or metal skids. Fence posts usually have small foundations.
IMPACTS TO NEIGHBORS
Q. How much of the land in a solar project is occupied by equipment?
A Solar panels are spaced apart to prevent shading, inspect and maintain the equipment, and maintain the vegetation under and around the panels Only about 1/3rd of the project area is beneath solar panels.
Q. How is storm run-off controlled?
A. Solar projects are required to install controls to prevent sediment erosion during construction, and, during operation, they must comply with stormwater management permits to protect neighbors and the environment
Q. Can fields used for a solar project be returned to farming?
A. Absolutely. A study by N.C. State University found that solar has only short-term impacts on productivity and is a “viable way to preserve land for potential future farming”
Q. What happens to drain tile on farm fields?
A. Prior to construction, drain tile is located and mapped, and the facility is designed to avoid as much tile as possible. Open Road commits to ensuring drain tile networks continue to function properly for neighbors.
Q. Do solar projects make any noise?
A. Because they have very few moving parts, solar projects come close to operating silently Some of the equipment makes small sounds, but those sounds typically cannot be heard by neighbors
Q. Do solar projects have any permanent lighting?
A. Virtually none. Motion-activated and downward-facing lights are located only at gates and sometimes at equipment such as inverters or the project substation
WHAT WE DO
Q. Do solar panels reflect sunlight?
A. Solar panels are designed to absorb, not reflect, sunlight. In fact, they reflect much less light than glass or water. All but about 2% of the sunlight is absorbed and converted to electricity.
Q. Do solar projects create any traffic?
A Construction activities will create additional traffic, but once completed, the project will have minimal impact on area traffic. Open Road commits to upgrading or repairing county and township roads used during construction.
Correcting the Record
regarding the Position Paper titled “Siting Solar Projects in Morrow County”
Open Road Renewables (“Open Road”) is developing the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center in southwesternMorrowCounty,whichwillcombinesolarpanelswithsheepgrazing(“Crossroads”). Agroup called “Concerned Citizens of Morrow County” has shared a position paper titled “Siting Solar Projects in Morrow County” that provides information, expresses some concerns, and makes certain claims about utility-scale solar energy facilities in Ohio, including Crossroads. The paper addresses a wide variety of subjects and provides many references to support its analysis, some of which is thoughtful, accurate and useful for County residents. In many cases, however, the information is incomplete, sweeping conclusions are drawn from limited information, claims are irrelevant to Crossroads, or the information provided is just wrong.This document seeks to correct the record by providing more complete, relevant, and correct information backed by independent, reliable sources for residents to properly evaluate the proposed Crossroads project.
Construction
Traffic Construction of Crossroads will require many large truck deliveries and the safety of all drivers, including those of horse-drawn buggies highlighted by the paper, is important. For road safety at Crossroads, the Ohio Power Siting Board (“OPSB”) requires a Transportation Management Plan. It also requires the coordination of construction traffic with local transportation authorities.Agood resourceon thesubject of trafficsafety and theAmish communityis the Amish Travel Study by the Ohio Department of Transportation, which makes clear that the safety of horse-drawn buggies is related to all types of road vehicles, especially fast-moving passenger vehicles, not just large trucks as the paper notes.1
Roads The paper claims (p. 3 and 21) but without a single example that solar project construction in Ohio has resulted in “destruction of roads.” All large construction projects, including construction of utility-scale solar facilities, cause wear and tear on local public roads. Some road damage is anticipated, and some is unavoidable, but damage is usually manageable and readily repaired. Solar companies typically enter into a Road Use and Maintenance Agreement (“RUMA”) backed by a road repair bond with local authorities, and Crossroads expects to do so. In fact, Crossroads has applied for certification under a State-run program that would require that it “repair all roads, bridges and culverts affected by construction as reasonably required to restore them to their preconstruction condition, as determined by the county engineer in consultation with the local jurisdiction responsible for the roads, bridges and culverts.”2 So although construction impacts to local public roads is a valid concern, the paper fails to mention that it is easily addressed by industry-standard practices such as RUMAs.
Noise Noise from construction of solar facilities in rural areas can be loud at times, but it is limited to daytimehours,temporaryin anygivenlocation, andresults mostly from vehicles and thedriving of small, metal piles about 10 feet deep. The inconvenience of construction, primarily traffic and some noise, is a key reason why Crossroads offers “Good Neighbor Agreements,” which include financial compensation, to project neighbors.3
Runnoff Proper erosion and sediment control when constructing large solar facilities is an important topic. Although some facilities have made mistakes and caused real problems, it is not the widespread or inevitable issue the paper claims, and the industry has rapidly improved.4 In Ohio, large-scale construction is subject to a 61-page regulation issued by the Ohio EPA that requires a site-specific “Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan” using “Best Management Practices” to minimize soil run-off during heavy rain.5 When questions arise about whether a solar facilityis following theserules,OPSB investigatesandtakes correctiveactionas neededto remedy the situation and enforce permit conditions and state law.6
Wildlife If approved by OPSB, Crossroads will be constructed in corn and soybean fields, which are not wildlife habitat, unless one counts deer eating farmers’ crops. Few trees will be removed. Fencing will be agricultural-style, woven wire (no chain link or barbed wire). It will have openings at ground level large enough for small wildlife to pass, but not large enough to allow predators such as coyotes to harm the sheep. Additionally, experienced biologists have conducted extensive wildlife and habitat surveys of the Crossroads project area. A report detailing the surveys’ findings, including recommendations to minimize any expected impacts to wildlife species and their habitat, will be submitted to OPSB and publicly available as part of the project’s permit application.
Incentives The paper is correct that Crossroads expects to take advantage of an available federal tax incentive, but significantly overstates other incentives insofar as they do not apply to utilityscale solar facilities. The project is eligible for the long-standing, federal “Investment Tax Credit,” the current version of which was signed into law by President George W. Bush. Like any other business with capital assets, Crossroads is eligible for asset depreciation under the Internal Revenue Service’s “Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System” (“MACRS”) for federal
3 The paper claims (p. 6) that solar facilities provide compensation “in return for their expressing support or no opinion on the project.” The Good NeighborAgreement offered by Crossroads does not do that.
4 For instance, the paper’s Figure 12 picture of standing water during solar construction is from Canada, over 7 years old, and accompanies an engineer’s discussion of “lessons learned” about solar and stormwater, but it does not support the paper’s claim that the run-off “destroyed” anyone’s livelihood or the environment. Also, the paper mentions (p. 24) that a court ordered a company in Georgia to pay $135.5 million in damages, but neglects to mention that this amount was later reduced to a fraction of that amount and that the case was eventually settled. https://www.parispi.net/news/local_news/article_39e8d970-a436-11ee-b300-b349f9a32240.html
6 Of the 11 solar facilities built in Ohio to date subject to its jurisdiction, to our knowledge OPSB has investigated stormwater problems at two facilities: Yellowbud (Pickaway and Ross Counites) and Hardin III (Hardin County). Minor issues were raised and resolved at a third facility, Hillcrest (Brown County).
income tax purposes, but that depreciation schedule is not unique to solar or renewable energy facilities. It applies to all businesses. Also, accelerated asset depreciation under MACRS is not applicable to county property tax assessments in Ohio, which are established by the Ohio Department of Taxation. Crossroads is not eligible for grants under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Rural Energy for America” program. Contrary to the paper’s claims, Open Road receives no grants or other public funds for the development of Crossroads, which is being developed with 100% private funds.
Operation
Water Open Road has always stated that its solar facilities may not need water for cleaning supplemental to Ohio’s ample rain. Crossroads may use some water over its life to clean the solar panels, however, and of course water will be used for the sheep grazing operation. Importantly, Crossroads will use only a fraction of the water that other electric power plants like coal and gas use, which includes process water (such as steam to drive electric-generating turbines) and cooling water (such as colling water for coal-fired boilers). Utility-scale solar water use in Ohio also pales in comparison to water use by recreational facilities such as golf courses.7
Glare According to the Ohio Department of Health (“ODH”), solar panels are designed to absorb, not reflect, sunlight, and any light that is reflected “will have a significantly lower intensity than direct sunlight reflecting on water or window glass since the vast majority of the incoming light will have been absorbed.”8 ODH recommends that solar facilities perform pre-construction modeling “to ensure that the solar panels are placed such that glare is minimized for surrounding residents and businesses.”9 Crossroads will conduct this type of modeling and share the results.
Heat According to the ODH: “Information to date does not indicate a public heath burden from heat generated by PV panels from the heat island effect.”10 According to N.C. State University, although the air immediately above a solar facility on a sunny day is warmer than the surrounding air, the higher temperature is localized to the solar equipment and is not measurable outside of the facility fence line.11 If anything, the solar facility will reduce heat from “corn sweat,” a phenomenon in which corn and soybean crops cause a spike in humidity around farm fields.12 As Fox Weather says, “corn sweat can make heat go from uncomfortable to unbearable across the ‘corn belt’ states ”13
7 Asolar facility the size of Crossroads may use a maximum of about 1 million gallons for a cleaning of its solar panels. Golf courses in a neighboring county use ten times that amount of water annually. See https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/water/WIPP/Knox_2022.pdf
8 ODH “Solar Farm and Photovoltaics Summary andAssessments” (April, 2022), p. 7.
9 ODH “Solar Farm and Photovoltaics Summary andAssessments” (April, 2022), p. 7.
10 ODH “Solar Farm and Photovoltaics Summary andAssessments” (April, 2022), p. 7.
11 NCSU “BalancingAgricultural Productivity with Ground-Based Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Development” (May 2019), pgs. 11-12
12 NCSU “BalancingAgricultural Productivity with Ground-Based Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Development” (May 2019), pgs. 11-12
EMF According to ODH, electromagnetic fields (“EMF”) are everywhere: “Human-made EMF sources include power lines, electrical wiring, and electrical appliances such as electric razors, hair dryers, and electric blankets.”14 ODH has concluded as follows: “Information to date does not indicate a public health burden from EMFs generated by components, including power lines, at solar farms.”15 NC State University agrees: “Someone outside of the fenced perimeter of a solar facility is not exposed to significant EMF from the solar facility. Therefore, there is no negative health impact from the EMF produced in a solar farm.”16
“Toxicity” Thesupposedharm solarpanels maycausepeopleortheenvironment duringoperation of a solar facility is nonsense. Solar panels are made almost entirely of glass, metal, and plastics. The semi-conducting material is thinner than a sheet of paper and fully encapsulated in plastic and glass to protect it from exposure to air and moisture, which would affect its function. Even broken solar panels do not “leach” chemicals; they contain no liquids that can spill. According to ODH, there simply is no public health impact from solar panels used in solar facilities operating under normal conditions.17 N.C. State University issued an extensive report on this subject that says solar panels “do not endanger public health.”18 If they were not safe, solar panels would not be installed on millions of homes, schools, hospitals, barns, and churches. In Delaware County, Ohio, solar arrays are even operating on top of water supply reservoirs.19
The paper’s supposed evidence of a problem is misleading, at best. For instance, as an example of the “considerable debate” on the topic, the paper references a study (Reference 27) that addresses whether chemicals may “leach” from solar panels under highly destructive and permanent landfill disposal conditions, not operating conditions.20 The paper also cites a “study” and implies that it shows leakage of toxic materials from solar panels (Reference 50), when in fact the document is merely promotional material for a company selling its high-tech imaging services to solar project operators to help them identify and repair microscopic defects (microcracks) to improve system performance. The document makes no claims whatsoever about toxic materials or their leakage.
“Contamination” The paper falsely suggests (p. 21 and Figure 9) that evidence has been provided to OPSB that the construction or operation of a solar facility in Ohio contaminated area groundwater wells. It characterizes a public comment, an excerpt of which is provided as Figure 9, as showing that “Groundwater and wells have been contaminated at Madison Fields in Madison County ” According to OPSB’s public records, that facility began construction in December 2022 and began operation in December of 2023. The public comment, however, was submitted to OPSB almost two years earlier, in December of 2020. The public comment is lengthy (9 pages) almost indecipherable, and clearly has nothing to do with the construction or operation of that facility.
20 Solar panels at Crossroads will pass U.S. EPA’s test showing they will be non-toxic if disposed of in a landfill, but the whole subject is irrelevant to an operating solar facility.
Fencing Although traditionally utility-scale solar facilities in the U.S. have been enclosed with chain-link fencing with barbed wire, increasingly in Ohio an agricultural style of fence is being used. The New Market facility (Highland County), shown in Figure 13 of the paper, was one of the earliest solar facilities in Ohio and was an example of the chain-link approach. But the paper fails to mention that New Market replaced that fence with an agricultural-style fence, which OPSB recognized “provides a more aesthetically pleasing barrier, particularly when paired with the planting of vegetative screening.”21 OPSB now routinely requires that solar facility fencing be “aesthetically fitting for a rural location.”22 As noted above, Crossroads will use a woven wire fence with no barbed wire.
Fire Solar panels are made mostly of glass and aluminum, which are not flammable. According to N.C. State University, “[c]oncern over solar fire hazards should be limited because only a small portion of materials in the panels are flammable, and those components cannot self-support a significant fire.”23 Solar facilities can experience grass fires, which are addressed by local fire personnel having 24/7 access and response training Most of the news about fire and solar, however,is either about solarpanels onbuildings, wherethebuilding was onfire,orfires at battery facilities co-located with solar facilities. This confusion is evident in the pictures provided in the paper (bottom of page 25).24 The description of Figure 15 notes that “The fire . . . took 4 days to extinguish” but fails to point out that the fire referenced involved batteries located at a solar facility, not solar panels. The solar panels at Crossroads will be ground-mounted, and there are no battery facilities planned.
Noise The only equipment in solar arrays that produce any appreciable noise are “inverters,” which are SUV-sized devices that convert DC power to AC power and increase its voltage. In 2024, Ohio adopted stringent requirements that solar facilities not result in noise levels at nearby homes and buildings that exceed the greater of 40 decibels or 5 decibels above the area’s measured background levels.25 (According to the non-profit Center for Hearing and Communication, 40 decibels is the sound level of a quiet residential area or a library.) Crossroads will meet these requirements by placing its inverters at least 500 feet from homes, and will submit a noise study with computer modeling performed by an acoustic engineer to show how this distance will dissipate noise prior to affecting nearby homes. Some older solar facilities that placed inverters closer to homes may have resulted in noise complaints, such as the one in Michigan (Assembly
21 See p. 15 of OPSB’s order, which is located at: https://dis.puc.state.oh.us/ViewImage.aspx?CMID=A1001001A24F20B40502I00785
22 For instance, OPSB requires this for the Blossom Solar facility: https://dis.puc.state.oh.us/ViewImage.aspx?CMID=A1001001A23E18B44631E02898
23 NCSU “Health and Safety Impacts of Solar Photovoltaics” (May 2017), p. 6.
24 The picture on the left shows solar panels on a burning building and the picture on the right shows fire at battery facility located within the fence of a solar facility in Jefferson County, NY.
25 Section 4906-4-09(E)(2) of the OhioAdministrative Code.
Solar) for which the paper (p. 25) includes video/audio, where the inverters were allowed by permitting authorities to be only 200 feet from homes.26
Property Values Some development, like landfills that bring truck traffic and litter and large poultry operations that have odors, may affect nearby property values. Crossroads will not, as it simply does not have any such negative characteristics, which the real estate industry refers to as “disamenities.” The operation of Crossroads will generate no odor, air pollution, or water pollution, and virtually no waste, noise, light, dust or traffic. It also will have a low and consistent profile, be well setback from public roads and homes and include robust perimeter landscaping near homes. A number of studies have looked at whether solar facilities affect the values of nearby property. According to the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, these studies generally show no negative impact, and sometimes show a positive impact.27 The most recently-published study, which was a university study focused on large solar facilities in Ohio and the Midwest, found essentially no effect.28
Energy Use The paper raises a concern that most of the power generated by solar facilities in Morrow County will not be directly supplied to consumers in the County. The County, as with all of Ohio, is part of a multi-state electric grid that supplies the millions of consumers within the grid with all their power. Currently, the County does not generate any power; it only consumes it. Electricity cannot be tracked as it flows from generators, through the grid, to consumers. But some of the power from Crossroads will flow to electric substations in the County, most of which “download” power from the grid for use by County residents.29 By hosting Crossroads, County residents also will know that they are boosting Ohio’s energy independence: Ohio currently imports about a quarter of its power, and Crossroads will enable the County to strengthen and contribute to the grid from which it receives its electricity, which is essential to modern business and life.
Energy Prices The paper says that “many residents are under the impression that electricity prices will fall”as aresult ofsolarfacilitiesin the County,but instead theymayrise.In reality, theelectric grid is far too large for wholesale power prices to be affected by the construction (or decommissioning) of any particular electric generation facility; the multi-state grid includes literally hundreds of power plants and millions of consumers. There is evidence that the growth of solar and other renewable energy resources over time across the grid as a whole may well reduce prices consumers pay.30 One study published in 2023 found that solar power costs have declined more than 80% over the last decade, and that solar facilities can now produce power cheaper than
26 Also, at least some of the claims about noise in the video/audio are plainly inaccurate. In one scene, the speaker says that the inverter shown in the video is 300 yards away when it obviously is closer to 300 feet away.
29 Note that the map of the County in the paper (Figure 2) shows only the largest transmission lines and none of the many electric substations that bring the power to County consumers.
30 Rhodes, “The Impact of Renewables in ERCOT” (April 2023).
coal, nuclear, and some natural gas plants.”31 But power prices are just not a significant consideration for whether a single electric generation facility that is part of a multi-state grid is right for a community.32
Decommissioning
Legal Requirements Ohio law requires that, before construction of an OPSB-regulated solar facility may begin, a detailed plan for decommissioning it at the end of its useful life must be approved by OPSB. The plan must include an estimate by a licensed engineer of the decommissioning cost, which must conservatively ignore the significant salvage value of the equipment The law requires that decommissioning include “the proper disposal of all facility components and restoration of the land on which the facility is located to its pre-construction state.”33 To ensure the availability of decommissioning funds regardless of the facility owner’s status, a bond in the amount of the cost estimate must be posted prior to construction and maintained until decommissioning is completed. The plan, the cost estimate, and the bond amount must be updated every 5 years while the facility is operating.34
“Early” Decommissioning The paper speculates that solar facilities might be decommissioned sooner than expected due to a variety of causes Early decommissioning is extremely unlikely, however, for many reasons. First, although solar facilities are relatively expensive to build, they are relatively inexpensive to operate because their “fuel” (sunlight) is free and they have few moving parts. So facility owners are financially incentivized to operate it as long as possible. Second, solar facilities can reliably forecast their future energy production because solar panels are warranted for decades, and over years the amount of sunlight is highly predictable, providing a degree of operational and financial stability. Finally, solar facilities typically secure before construction long-term (sometimes decades-long) contracts to sell energy to large energy users such as corporations, universities and municipalities.These “power purchase agreements” provide stable, long-term revenue and require the facility to produce electricity for many years. But regardless of when decommissioning occurs, the State-required plan and bond will ensure that the facility is removed and the land is restored 35
32 The paper also discusses possible power price hikes resulting from growing power demand from data centers, but it is not clear what this has to do with Crossroads
33 4906.211(b)(3) of the Ohio Revised Code
34 The Legislature set forth these requirements in Sections 4906.21 through 4906.222 of the Ohio Revised Code.
35 Contrary to the paper's suggestion, facilities hit by storms generally are repaired and not decommissioned early. The solar facilities damaged by storms shown in Figure 4 and Figure 8 of the paper, as is typical of solar facilities, have property damage insurance. The Texas facility hit by large hail was back up and running in just a few months. https://ccr-mag.com/hail-storm-recovery-the-fighting-jayssolar-farm/ Note that the paper does not claim there was any environmental issue caused by the damage, as there almost certainly was none. For instance, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had no records of any environmental issues at the Texas facility. [Telephone conversion withAlexis Baker, Region 12 (Houston), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (March 3, 2025).]Also, the paper confuses the facilities: the Figure 4 picture is the Florida facility and the Figure 8 picture is the Texas facility.
Soil Protection
Whether farm land that hosts a solar and sheep grazing facility can readily return to row crops without reducing yields is important (although largely a consideration for the private landowner who chooses to participate in a solar project) The paper is correct that there is no empirical evidence on the subject, since 40-year-operating solar facilities have yet to be decommissioned (and “early” decommissioning is so rare).To address this uncertainty, OPSB now requires that solar facilities follow a soil testing and restoration protocol that it jointly developed with the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The protocol requires pre-construction, site-wide soil sampling of key soil quality characteristics related to crop production (such as bulk density and pH) to establish current or “baseline” conditions. It then requires retesting after 30 years of operation, 35 years of operation and at decommissioning. Based on all these test results, the protocol then requires the following as part of decommissioning: “Soil restoration activities shall be performed as necessary to return soil conditions to at least baseline conditions.”36
Not only will Crossroads follow this protocol, but it will have deep-rooted vegetation for sheep pasture throughout its operation and its OPSB application will include an Agricultural Soils Protection Plan with additional measures to safeguard cropland. Given the robust and binding requirements in Crossroads’ lease agreements, OPSB permit conditions, and Ohio state law regarding agricultural soil preservation and restoration, lack of empirical evidence regarding precise conditions post-decommissioning is an uncertainty to be thoughtfully and proactively managed, not something to be feared, as the paper suggests.
Accountability
Out-of-State Companies The paper’s concern about non-Ohio solar companies is unjustified because the permit that OPSB issues to an applicant (called a “Certificate”) legally binds that applicant regardless of where the company is based or incorporated. The Certificate holder also has every reason to comply because, even if it does not care about being a good neighbor, it wants a successful facility.The paper’s concern about companies hostile toAmerica operating Ohio solar facilities is also unjustified OPSB approval is required for any applicant to transfer its Certificate to another company, so an enemy of the U.S. could be blocked.37 The foreign solar companies the paper lists as active in Ohio, such as Canada, England and France, are all U.S. allies.
OPSB Enforcement Process Although the paper says OPSB’s enforcement process is uncertain, in reality it is not. The statutes and regulations clearly establish OPSB’s oversight of complaint resolution and compliance at solar facilities. The facilities’ involvement in the process is essential in fact, every facility must submit an annual report describing compliance with its Certificate but OPSB has the ultimate authority to ensure compliance. Compliance violations can result in expensive corrective actions (see below), stiff fines, or even imprisonment. As OPSB explains, “The compliance division aims to be not only the eyes and ears of construction and
36 For example, p. 36-38 of OPSB’s requirements for the Blossom Solar project require this: https://dis.puc.state.oh.us/ViewImage.aspx?CMID=A1001001A23E18B44631E02898
37 The paper claims without evidence (p. 6) that landowners give solar facilities the right to “sell their interests to any company they wish, including those which are hostile to the United States.” Even if the all the landowners gave a solar company that freedom, the OPSB would decide whether the Certificate is transferred.
maintenance rules, but also to work as a bridge between developers and local communities… The end goal is to establish a respectful working relationship with the developer, onsite construction supervisor, and local neighbors.”38
Corrective Actions The paper complains about corrections that some developers have had to implement, but that just shows the system works. The New Market facility (in Highland County) did construct solar panels too close to roads, and OPSB made the owner move them to be in compliance with the Certificate. A neighbor of the Hardin Solar III facility (in Hardin County) did complain to OPSB about stormwater, but OPSB conducted an investigation, and the matter was resolved. A compliance system exists, and the system works. Also, the fact that most facilities have not had to make corrections like these show that they generally comply with the law and are good neighbors. Ratherthan causing fearofsolardevelopment andits regulation,thesefacts instill confidence in the OPSB and its oversight functions.39
Accountability to Land Owners Not only are solar companies legally bound to comply with the Certificate from OPSB, they are bound to their legal agreements with land owners who host the facility. The paper is frankly insulting to Morrow County farmers when it asserts that they give “total control” over the land to solar companies. Most of the land is subject to a long and detailed lease that governs the long-term relationship and addresses many subjects important to land owners. Some land owners negotiate specific and tailored provisions regarding crops, the location of infrastructure, drain tile, topsoil, vegetation, and decommissioning. Regardless of the facility owner, these legally-binding arrangements continue and protect the land owners and their land.
Picture of Substation and House On its first and last pages, the paper shows a picture of an electric substation built about 100 feet away from a house, just across a road. This is DP&L’s “Clay” Substation, which it built to receive power from a new solar facility in Highland County. (The solar company’s facilities are at least 600 feet away from the house.) Open Road had no involvement with this project and does not know the background or circumstances surrounding the substation depicted in the image. We understand that many people may not want to live that close to an electric substation, but some people in Ohio do not mind, and it is not clear whether the home owner had any objection in this particular case.40 This need not be a concern for Crossroads’ neighbors, however, as both the project’s and the utility’s substations will be more than 2,000 feet from the nearest home.
39 Other Ohio agencies also ensure compliance. The paper correctly notes that the Ohio Department of Development investigated, after the validity of certain workers’driver’s licenses were questioned, whether a solar company had met its commitment that at least 80% of its workers be Ohioans.Although the paper treats the investigation as a problem, but that is the agency’s job and it enabled it to conclude that the company had complied.
40 The e-mail to OPSB complaining about the substation’s location quoted in the paper is from an antisolar group, not the home owner. DP&L sent the home owner a letter and map showing the substation’s planned location, but the home owner does not appear to have responded.https://dis.puc.state.oh.us/ViewImage.aspx?CMID=A1001001A19K12B43934I02422
Appendix B
Neighbor Letters
January 10, 2025
[name] [address] [city, state, zip]
Re: Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
Dear [Title] [Last Name],
We’re writing to introduce ourselves and to let you know about a proposed utility-scale solar facility under development near your property called the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center (the “Project”). We’d like to meet with you in the coming weeks to discuss this Project, answer any questions you may have, and get your feedback prior to submitting an application to the state agency that regulates this type of energy facility, called the Ohio Power Siting Board (“OPSB”). We’d also like to let you know about the Project’s Good Neighbor Program in which you are eligible to participate.
Solar Facilities
The Project will consist of a collection of solar panels installed on the ground that will deliver energy to the overhead power lines that serve the region as well as provide pasture for local sheep farmers to graze their sheep for commercial lamb production. It will generate clean, quiet energy and provide substantial financial benefits to the Morrow County community, including the Cardington-Lincoln School District. Our company, Open Road Renewables, has many years of experience successfully developing energy projects in Ohio and across the country. Enclosed is more information about the Project and what it could mean for Morrow County.
We believe you will find that solar makes a good neighbor: solar panels have a low profile and produce virtually no noise, light, dust, odor, or traffic. Solar also has modest impacts on the land. Grading will be limited, topsoil will largely remain in place, and the solar panels will be mounted on driven posts that do not require foundations. About two-thirds of the land within the fence of the solar facilitywill remainopenground,andthe entire interiorofthe facilitywill be plantedwithrobust,native grasses maintained primarily by grazing sheep. Where project equipment would be visible from neighboring homes or public roads, a row of landscaping consisting of native trees and shrubs will be planted outside of the perimeter fence to enhance the facility’s appearance. After the useful life of the solar panels (about 40 years), the facility will be removed, and the land can be returned to agricultural use.
Meet to Obtain Feedback
Input from Project neighbors is very important to us. Because your property is adjacent, or in close proximity, to a property we expect to host solar equipment, we’d like to schedule a meeting with you to review preliminary plans and to obtain your feedback before submitting the permit application tothe OPSB. We’dliketoreviewthe preliminaryequipmentlayoutaswellasproposeddesign features to mitigate impacts on neighboring properties such as equipment setbacks, perimeter landscaping, and other measures. Please contact Dan Cech (contact information below) to schedule a time to meet. If we don’t hear from you, we will stop by your house in the next few weeks to visit with you in person. We are not selling anything! We simply want to introduce ourselves and get your input on the Project proposal.
Good Neighbor Program
We are also happy to let you know that you are eligible to participate in the Project’s “Good Neighbor Program” (the “Program”). This Program is voluntary and is designed to memorialize the Project’s commitments to neighbors regarding setbacks, landscaping, and other design features and to establish a constructive framework for communication with the Project during construction and operation of the facility. The Program includes financial compensation of $14,500 at the start of construction of the Project. A copy of the Good Neighbor Agreement is enclosed. If you would like to participate in the Program, please sign and date the agreement at the bottom of page 3, and return the agreement to us using the enclosed, postage pre-paid envelope. We are happy to discuss the Program in more detail when we meet.
We look forward to meeting you and discussing this Project, hearing your feedback, and answering any questions you may have.
Best regards,
Craig Adair
Dan Cech Vice President – Development Director of Community Relations
The Crossroads Solar Grazing Center (the “Project”) is a proposed 94 Megawatt (MW) solar project located in Westfield, Lincoln, and Cardington Townships in Morrow County, Ohio and is under development by Open Road Renewables. In partnership with Morrow County farmers and other private landowners, the Project will consist of 6-8 solar array fields totaling up to 611 acres of private property. Solar panels and other equipment will be enclosed with agricultural-style fencing, and views of the solar arrays will be mostly hidden with trees, shrubs, and other native vegetation planted around its perimeter. The project area will feature dual solar-agricultural land use, with flocks of sheep grazing under and around the panels to maintain the vegetation
CONTACT
US
Dan Cech
Community Relations
810-623-7624
dan@openroadrenewablescom
Craig Adair
VP of Development
512-297-6611
craig@openroadrenewablescom
In addition to increasing energy independence and diversifying Ohio’s electricity generation, the Project will provide hundreds of thousands of dollars in new revenue for Morrow County, Cardington-Lincoln Schools, and the townships referenced above every year for the life of the Project.
The Open Road Renewables team is dedicated to a community-first approach to development that includes active participation in the Morrow County and Cardington communities, supporting local causes and initiatives, and soliciting community feedback Engagement with community members and leaders is well underway, and we look forward to hearing from you as well.
We hope the information in this packet is helpful Please reach out to us if you have questions or concerns, would like to provide feedback, or want to get involved!
SOLAR COMPONENTS
SOLAR PANELS
A Solar PV panel consists of a semiconductor material that absorbs the sun’s light and transfers that energy to negatively charged electrons This extra energy allows electrons to flow through the semiconductor material as electric current, which is collected by conductive metals.
PARTS OF A SOLAR PANEL
Solar projects use several industry standard solar panel varieties such as Crystalline, Crystalline Bi-facial, and Thin Film. Ohio is home to one of the largest solar panel manufacturing facilities in the entire world.
Solar panels are composed of layers of solid materials including tempered glass, plastic encapsulant, and semi-conductor material – meaning that, if damaged, there is nothing that can leak out.
QUICK FACTS
Solar panels are solid state and contain nothing that can leak out into the surrounding environment
Solar panels are designed and tested to perform at a high level for over 25 years Solar technology is modular, allowing the same technology to be used on a house, farm, school, commercial building, or in a power generating facility.
SOLAR COMPONENTS
INVERTERS
The DC cabling from strings of solar arrays is routed through combiner boxes to higher-capacity DC cabling that routes power to an inverter. Inverters consist of electric equipment that converts the power generated by the solar array from DC to AC. An associated transformer "steps up" the voltage of the AC power to 345kV
In the solar industry, inverters come in two principal forms: Central Inverter or String Inverter String Inverters, as the name implies, handle a string or several strings of solar panels. A Central Inverter is higher capacity and handles many strings. Almost all utility-scale solar projects in Ohio use Central Inverters.
Central Inverters are mounted on a gravel pad, cement foundation or metal skid in the interior of solar arrays (far from neighboring properties).
Inverters and the associated step-up transformers are sited to avoid off-site noise impacts of that occur during operations. For Open Road projects, this means that Central Inverters will be placed where there is no noticeable increase in noise levels at neighboring homes, and will be at least 500 feet from those homes
QUICK FACTS
Central inverters are sited centrally to project arrays to optimize the amount of DC cables used. Open Road commits to minimum setbacks from residences of 500 feet. Open Road conducts comprehensive sound monitoring and modeling during design and permitting to inform setback distances and avoid any noticeable increases in off-site noise during operations.
SOLAR COMPONENTS
5 YEAR HIGH DENSITY PLANTINGPOLLINATOR MIX, LARGE SHRUB / SMALL TREES AND LARGE TREES
LANDSCAPING
In addition to setbacks, array height restrictions, and smart project design, Open Road works with Ohio-licensed landscape architects to design robust and area-appropriate perimeter landscaping. Our approach to landscaping involves creating three or more landscaping design densities that we refer to as "modules"
These modules are designed using a wide range of native and adapted plant species, density of plantings, and number of rows of plantings The goal of each module is not necessarily to fully obscure the project from view from the start. Rather, the goal is to install a low maintenance and resilient planting design that grows over time and is appropriate the area
MEDIUMSIZEDTREES
QUICK
FACTS
Open Road works with Ohio licensed landscaping architects to design site-specific landscaping modules
Each module consists of diverse native and adapted plant species appropriate for the area
The project is responsible for maintaining all project landscaping
FENCING AND LIGHTING
Solar facilities in Ohio are expected to use agricultural-style fencing This fencing is typically woven wire and is supported by wood or metal posts that are either driven or cemented into the ground. These fences are usually 6 to 7 feet high and do not include any barbed wire or razor wire Chain-link style fencing and barbed wire are used only at the project and utility substations, as required by national codes.
The entire perimeter of the project area is fenced for security purposes with secure, gated access points from public roads. Although such fencing can restrict the passage of larger mammals, accommodations can be made in the fence to allow the passage of smaller animals. Corridors along streams, larger ditches, forested areas, and roadway setbacks are frequently left open and function as wildlife corridors.
SOLAR COMPONENTS
Solar projects require minimal permanent lighting – typically only at project entrances, inverters, and the substation. Lighting at gates and inverters is motionactivated and shielded. Otherwise, project lighting during operations is limited to temporary lighting when necessary for maintenance.
QUICK FACTS
Fencing is typically 6 -7 feet high Ohio expects the use of agriculturalstyle fencing without barbed wire. Fencing can be made wildlifepermeable to benefit smaller mammals.
Solar projects use minimal permanent lighting.
PROTECTING FARMLAND, DECOMMISSIONING, AND RESTORATION DEEP DIVES
Drain Tile
In addition to complying with Ohio EPA stormwater management regulations, Crossroads Solar will complete a comprehensive Drain Tile Assessment of the project area. The assessment involves extensive mapping of existing drain tile based on information gathered from landowners, maps on file with the Morrow County Soil and Water Conservation District, and satellite imagery The Drain Tile Assessment will be submitted to the OPSB for review along with the Project’s permit application, and the Project will be designed to avoid all drain tile mains and as much lateral drain tile as possible After construction, any damaged drain tile that impacts drainage on neighboring properties will be repaired or replaced. Crossroads Solar will consult with the owners of adjacent agricultural parcels regarding any shared drain tile infrastructure, and the Project’s permit will prohibit adverse drainage impacts on neighboring properties.
Best Soil Management Practices
Crossroads Solar is committed to Best Management Practices to preserve agricultural soils during the construction and decommissioning of the Project These practices are designed to protect the topsoil and subsoils at the Project site Crossroads Solar will conduct extensive soil testing before construction and after the Project is decommissioned to ensure soils are returned to at least their pre-construction conditions Additionally, year-round vegetative cover and pollinator habitats reduce runoff, and reduced chemical loading of solar compared to modern farming practices are expected to improve soil quality over time.
Decommissioning and Restoration
At the end of Crossroads Solar’s 40-year life, the project will be decommissioned and the land restored to its previous agricultural condition. Ohio state law requires that solar projects submit financially-assured decommissioning plans before construction that detail the removal and restoration processes The law also requires solar project owners to post a “decommissioning bond,” which will be held by a third party to ensure sufficient funds will be available to cover all removal and restoration costs The bond amount is re-evaluated every five years throughout the project's life to account for inflation and changes in disposal, labor, and other relevant costs
Preserving Farmland
Crossroads Solar’s payments to participating landowners help families keep farms intact for future generations. As a long-term but temporary land use, utility-scale solar facilities also protect farmland from permanent loss to real estate, commercial, and other types of development. Furthermore, much like a conservation easement, solar facilities allow the soil to rest and for nutrients to be restored during the projects’ 40-year life-spans
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
TECHNOLOGY
Q. What kind of technology do solar projects use?
A. Solar projects use conventional solar panels just like those installed on the roofs of homes and businesses This wellestablished technology has been around for decades
Q. How do solar panels make electricity?
A. When sunlight hits a solar panel, the electrons in the solar panel’s semiconducting material become energized and create an electric current.
Q. Who uses the electricity from solar projects?
A The electricity from solar projects goes onto the high-voltage electrical grid that supplies power to everyone. That means power will flow to homes and businesses in the area where the project is located as well as to the larger region.
Q. Isn’t solar too expensive?
A No Innovation and competition have dramatically reduced the cost of solar in recent years. In many areas, solar now costs about the same or less than traditional sources.
Q. Doesn’t solar receive federal subsidies?
A All types of power generation (including coal, gas, hydro and nuclear power) receive economic benefits from certain federal policy incentives, and solar is no exception.
CONSTRUCTION & DECOMMISSIONING
Q. How long does it take to build a solar project?
A Construction of most solar projects takes roughly 12-15 months
Q. What happens at the end of the useful life of the solar panels?
A. After the productive life of the panels, which is 35-40 years, the solar project will be “decommissioned”, panels recycled or otherwise properly disposed of, and the land returned to its pre solar project condition
Q. What assurance is there that the project owner will carry out the decommissioning?
WHAT WE DO
A. Financial security, such as a bond, is required to ensure funds are always available for decommissioning and restoration of the land.
Q. What if the owner of a solar project goes bankrupt?
A If an owner went bankrupt, it is very likely that a new owner would take over. Solar projects are expensive to build but reliable and inexpensive to operate. So, there are strong incentives to continue a solar project’s operations.
LAND USE
Q. What impact do solar projects have on the land?
A Very little In flat areas, earth moving for solar projects is limited because because the steel piles for the panels are installed using the existing grades. Topsoil is preserved for future agricultural use. Essentially the entire site will planted with native grasses and maintained with minimal herbicide use.
Q. Do solar projects have foundations?
A The steel piles for panels generally have no foundations and inverters are installed on gravel pads, prefabricated concrete, or metal skids. Fence posts usually have small foundations.
IMPACTS TO NEIGHBORS
Q. How much of the land in a solar project is occupied by equipment?
A Solar panels are spaced apart to prevent shading, inspect and maintain the equipment, and maintain the vegetation under and around the panels Only about 1/3rd of the project area is beneath solar panels.
Q. How is storm run-off controlled?
A. Solar projects are required to install controls to prevent sediment erosion during construction, and, during operation, they must comply with stormwater management permits to protect neighbors and the environment
Q. Can fields used for a solar project be returned to farming?
A. Absolutely. A study by N.C. State University found that solar has only short-term impacts on productivity and is a “viable way to preserve land for potential future farming”
Q. What happens to drain tile on farm fields?
A. Prior to construction, drain tile is located and mapped, and the facility is designed to avoid as much tile as possible. Open Road commits to ensuring drain tile networks continue to function properly for neighbors.
Q. Do solar projects make any noise?
A. Because they have very few moving parts, solar projects come close to operating silently Some of the equipment makes small sounds, but those sounds typically cannot be heard by neighbors
Q. Do solar projects have any permanent lighting?
A. Virtually none. Motion-activated and downward-facing lights are located only at gates and sometimes at equipment such as inverters or the project substation
WHAT WE DO
Q. Do solar panels reflect sunlight?
A. Solar panels are designed to absorb, not reflect, sunlight. In fact, they reflect much less light than glass or water. All but about 2% of the sunlight is absorbed and converted to electricity.
Q. Do solar projects create any traffic?
A Construction activities will create additional traffic, but once completed, the project will have minimal impact on area traffic. Open Road commits to upgrading or repairing county and township roads used during construction.
Good Neighbor Agreement
between Crossroads Solar Grazing Center and Home Owner
Crossroads Solar I, LLC (referred to as “the Company”) and the home owner who signs below (referred to as “the Neighbor”) enter into this Good Neighbor Agreement (referred to as “the Agreement”). TheAgreementbecomeseffectivewhenboththeCompanyandtheNeighborhavesigned
Background
1. The Company is developing a combined solar energy and sheep grazing facility called the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center on private land in Morrow County (referred to as “the Project”)
2. The Project will consist mostly of fenced fields of solar panels that supply power to the electric grid with rotational sheep grazing used to manage vegetation within the fences
3. The Project will generate clean energy for Ohio, provide economic opportunities to local land owners and livestock producers, and provide new revenue to local governments
4. To advance the development of the Project, the Company plans to:
(a) Have the Project certified by the Ohio Department of Development as a “Qualified Energy Project,” which would require the Company to make payments to Morrow County taxing districts of up to $846,000 every year during the expected 40-year life of the Project;
(b) Obtain a “Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need” for the Project from the Ohio Power Siting Board, which will authorize the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Project; and
(c) Committoa“RoadUseandMaintenanceAgreement”withlocalauthoritiesunder which the Company would repair, at its cost, any damage to local roads caused by construction of the Project, and which would be backed by a bond of at least $1 million
5. The Project will be located near the Neighbor’s home and, although the Project will meet all applicable legal requirements, the Company wants to be a good neighbor and seeks to minimize any impacts to the Neighbor. In particular, the Company acknowledges that construction of the Project, which could take 12-18 months, may be inconvenient to the Neighbor
6. Inordertoworktogetherconstructivelyforthebenefitofthecommunity,andinexchange for each other’s commitments below, the Company and the Neighbor enter into this Agreement.
Agreement
A. Commitments by the Company
1. Fencing. Each of the fields of solar panels will be enclosed within a wire fence (not chain link) no more than 7 feet high and without any barbed wire or advertising.
2. Minimum Setbacks. The solar panels will be at least 300 feet from Neighbor’s home, which is the length of a football field (This is a minimum setback distance, and the actual distance may be much more.)
3. Maximum Height. Thesolarpanels will nohigherthan15feet duringnormal operations.
4. Landscaping. Except where existing vegetation, buildings or other obstacles mostly screen the Project from view, there will be a planted line of trees and shrubs outside any segment of the fence that is within 600 feet (the length of two football fields) of the Neighbor’s home. The trees and shrubs will include native species and will be designed by a licensed landscape architect to improve the views from the Neighbor’s home. The landscaping will be planted during construction of the Project and maintained for the life of the Project.
5. Lights. Any fixed, permanent lights will be on only when used or motion-activated.
6. Community Meeting. Before the start of construction of the Project, a community meetingwillbeheldinthearea toprovidebasicinformationabouttheconstructionprocess andschedule, review expected delivery truck routes, answer questions from members of the community, and provide contact information for questions or concerns that may arise during construction.
7. Good Neighbor Payment. Within 60 days after the start of construction of the Project, the Company will pay the Neighbor $14,500.
B. Commitments by the Neighbor
1. Drain Tile Information. The Neighbor will provide the Company, within 30 days after receiving a written request from the Company, any maps or other information of which the Neighbor is aware that identifies, depicts, or describes subsurface drain tile that may cross the property line between the Neighbor’s land and any parcel on which the Project will be located.
2. Opportunity to Resolve Concerns. If the Neighbor has any concern or complaint about the construction or operation of the Project, the Neighbor will contact the Company and give the Company an opportunity to work in good faith with the Neighbor to resolve the concern or complaint. This obligation does not limit the Neighbor’s right to later take any other action the Neighbor wishes to in order to address the concern or complaint to the Neighbor’s satisfaction.
C. Other Matters
1. Eligible Neighbor. The Neighbor eligible to enter into this Agreement is the person who owns (or the persons who own) the home at the address on the letter accompanying this Agreement. If more than one person owns the home, then each person should sign and date the Agreement. There will be only one payment per home.
2. Termination of Agreement. If the construction of the Project has not begun by December 31, 2029, then the Agreement will automatically terminate and the payment will not be made. If the construction of the Project begins by December 31, 2029, then the Agreement will automatically terminateattheendofthelifeoftheProject,which isexpectedtobe40years.ThisAgreementterminates if and when the Neighbor no longer owns the home.
3. Transparency. This Agreement is not confidential and the Neighbor is free to share it with any other person whether or not the Agreement has been signed.
4. Public Participation. The process by which the Ohio Power Siting Board considers whether to issue a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need to a proposed project includes several opportunities for public input. These opportunities include submitting written comments, attending a “Public Information Meeting” about the Project, and attending or speaking at a “Local Public Hearing” about the Project. The Company fully supports the Neighbor providing public input regarding the Project, and this Agreement in no way affects or is intended to discourage such input or affect the Neighbor’s views.
5. Original Agreement Not Needed. Original ink signatures are not required for the Agreement to be effective
The Company and the Neighbor each enter into this Agreement by their signature and date below:
NEIGHBOR:
Signature of Neighbor
COMPANY:
Signature
Signature of additional Neighbor, if any Printed Name
Printed Name(s) of Neighbor(s):
Title:
Date:
Home Address:
Date:
March 4, 2025
[Address Field]
Re: Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
Dear [title] [last name],
I hope this letter finds you well. As you may know, our company is developing the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center (“Crossroads” or “the Project”) in Morrow County next to farmland that you own. We’re writing to invite you to our Public Information Meeting to let you know about the Project’s Good Neighbor Program in which you are eligible to participate.
Public Information Meeting
In case you missed the invitation we sent you previously, you are invited to attend a Public Information Meeting about the Project on March 11, 2025. The meeting will be conducted in “open house” format and is open to the public. Representatives from the Crossroads team, as well as various subject matter experts, will be available to discuss the Project proposal with you and to answer any questions you may have. Feel free to come by anytime between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm We hope to see you there!
What: Public Information Meeting regarding the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
When: March 11, 2025 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm
Where: American Legion, 307 Park Street, Cardington, Ohio 43315
Why: So you can learn more about the Project and we can get your feedback!
If you’re not able to attend on March 11, we will be hosting a second meeting in April. You will receive a separate notice about the meeting in April
Farming Good Neighbor Program
We are happy to let you know that you are eligible to participate in the Project’s “Farming Good Neighbor Program” (the “Program”). This Program is voluntary and, along with commitments we will make in our permit application to the Ohio Power Siting Board, is designed to address concerns regarding drainage from the Project area.
We recognize that a facility like Crossroads has the potential to impact subsurface drain tiles, some of which may cross the property lines between the Project and neighboring properties. We have put considerable time and thought into ways we can minimize impacts to or even improve drainage across the Project area and for neighbors. After consultation with subject-matter experts and an Ohio-based drain tile company, Ag Land Drain Tile, we are proposing several steps that the Project will take to avoid adverse
drainage impacts to your property. These are outlined in the attached Farming Good Neighbor Agreement, which we ask you to consider.
For the majority of the area in which construction will occur, we plan to decommission existing drain tile systems within the project area and replace them with new drain tile systems prior to, or during the early phases of, construction. By redesigning the drain tile system to accommodate the Project, we can ensure that the site stays well-drained throughout construction and neighboring agricultural operations are not negatively affected. Our goal is to apply this approach broadly across the entire Project area, but we may design certain parts of the Project around existing tile systems. Regardless, any tile that crosses into your land would be avoided, upgraded, or, if damaged during construction, promptly repaired. Tile that is wholly within the Project, and not directly connected to your land, would only be removed or not repaired after damage as long as that would not impact your drain tile system or drainage on your land.
The Farming Good Neighbor Agreement covers in detail the methods described above to either install new drain tile systems or fixed damaged ones. It also sets forth the Project’s commitments to take necessary measures to protect your property from unwanted drainage problems due to construction. Finally, it provides a mechanism for us to reimburse you for any crop damage that results from our failure to manage tile as promised. All costs would be paid by the Project.
In exchange for these commitments, you would provide the Project i) information on any known maps or locations of existing shared drain tile systems between your property and neighboring Project property lines, ii) cooperation during construction regarding any needed changes or repairs to shared drain tile systems, and iii) an opportunity to resolve in good faith any concerns that arise on these subjects.
We would appreciate the opportunity to visit with you in the coming weeks to discuss the Project and Program. Our contact information is below. Jeff Billenstein of Ag Land Drain Tile also is available to visit with you at your property or his office in Kenton. He can provide his expert opinion about these commitments and try to address any questions or concerns you may have.
For more information about the Project, please visit www.crossroads.solar We look forward to visiting with you!
Best regards,
Craig Adair
Dan Cech Vice President – Development Director of Community Relations
(512) 297-6611 (810) 623-7624
craig@openroadrenewables.com
Enclosures (1)
dan@openroadrenewables.com
Good Neighbor Agreement between Farmer and Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
The undersigned farmer (referred to as “the Neighbor”) and Crossroads Solar I, LLC (referred to as “the Company”), by their signatures below, enter into this Farming Good Neighbor Agreement (referred to as “the Agreement”). The Agreement becomes effective when both the Neighbor and the Company have signed it.
Background
1. The Company is developing a utility-scale solar energy project called the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center on private land in Morrow County (referred to as “the Project”). The Project will consist mostly of fenced fields of connected solar panels that supply power to the electric grid and vegetation managed by sheep grazing. A map showing the planned location of each solar field is on the Project’s website (www.crossroads.solar).
2. The Project will generate clean energy for Ohio, supply new revenue for local governments, and provide economic opportunities to the land owners hosting the Project and area sheep farmers. The Company also expects that the Project will:
(a) Be certified by the Ohio Department of Development as a “Qualified Energy Project” that would be required to make total payments to Morrow County taxing districts up to $846,000 each year for the expected 40-year life of the Project (a total of $33.8 million);
(b) Enter into a “Road Use and Maintenance Agreement” with local authorities requiring the Company to repair, at its cost, any damage to local roads caused by construction and post a bond or other financial surety of at least $1 million to ensure compliance; and
(c) Be issued by the Ohio Power Siting Board a “Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need” to authorize the construction and operation of the Project and require that it be decommissioned at the end of its operating life.
3. One or more parcels of land that may host part of the Project (referred to as “the Project Land”) are adjacent to certain parcels of the Neighbor’s land that currently are being farmed (referred to as “the Neighbor Land”) The Company wants to be a good neighbor and seeks to minimize any impacts to the farming activities on the Neighbor Land. In particular, the Company recognizes that construction of the Project may affect subsurface drain tile lines on the Project Land, some of which may cross the property line between the Project Land and the Neighbor Land (referred to as the “Boundary”).
4. Toworktogetherforthebenefit ofthecommunity,andinexchangeforeachother’scommitments below, the Neighbor and the Company enter into this Agreement.
Agreement
A. Commitments by the Company
1. Drain Tile Assessment. The Company will conduct an assessment to locate and characterize all subsurface drain tile lines that physically cross the Boundary (referred to as “Shared Tile”). Prior to the start of construction of the Project, the Company will seek to determine the location, size, construction material, depth, condition, and age of all Shared Tile (referred to as “the Drain Tile Assessment”). The Drain Tile Assessment will be conducted by a licensed engineer with experience in designing solar facilities on farm land in Ohio. As part of the Drain Tile Assessment, the engineer will request all relevant documents and information that the Neighbor may have and offer to meet in person with the Neighbor to inspect the Boundary. The precise location along the Boundary of all Shared Tile identified in the Drain Tile Assessment will be recorded using “global positioning
system” or similar technology (referred to as “GPS”). A report of the Drain Tile Assessment, which will include a map of the locations of all Shared Tile along the Boundary, will be provided to the Neighbor. The Company will pay for the Drain Tile Assessment.
2. Protection of Shared Drain Tile During Construction.
(a) Marking. Prior to the start of construction of the Project, the Company will mark on the surface of the Project Landall known and suspected paths of Shared Tile. If Shared Tileis first discovered during construction, the path of such Shared Tile will be promptly marked and recorded with GPS. Field markings will be placed so that they will remain visible during construction.
(b) Construction Methods. For any Shared Tile located on the Project Land, the Company will implement at least one of the following options during construction of the Project: (1) avoid installation of any above-ground component of the Project (not including a fence) on the Project Land within 10 feet on either side of the Shared Tile; (2) replace the Shared Tile in its current location with the same or larger diameter tile using new, state-of-the-art construction materials; or (3) replace the Shared Tile with the same or larger diameter tile using new, state-of-the-art construction materials in a new location on the Project Land. If required by the relocation of Share Tile on the Project Land, then with the Neighbor’s written consent and at the Company’s expense, the Company also will relocate the section of Shared Tile on the Neighbor Land
(c) Repairs. Except for Shared Tile that is purposefully replaced or relocated, any Shared Tile on the Project Land that is damaged during construction will be promptly repaired. Any exposed Shared Tile will be screened or otherwise protected to prevent the entry of vegetation, sediment, small animals, and/or other foreign materials into the Shared Tile. During the repair process, the Shared Tile will be examined (such as probing by camera) within any work areas to confirm that no other damage has occurred. Repair will be promptly completed, unless poor weather and soil conditions necessitate a longer repair period. the Company will pay for all repairs. If damage caused to Shared Tile located on the Project Land also damages a section of Shared Tile located on the Neighbor Land, then with Owner’s written consent and at the Company’s expense, the Company will also repair that.
(d) Non-perforated Tile. If the Company plans to plant any trees, shrubs, or vegetation, other than ground cover, within 25 feet of any Shared Tile, whether on the Project Land or the Neighbor Land, any such Shared Tile will be replaced with non-perforated material so as to minimize the risk of roots from the vegetation adversely affecting the function of the Shared Tile.
(e) Risers. The Company will install risers on Shared Tile on the Project Land to enable visual inspection during rain events that it is functioning properly
3. Protection of Shared Drain Tile During Operation.
(a) Scheduled Inspections and Repairs During the first two years following completion of construction of the Project, the Company will (i) inspect the risers on the Shared Tile during or shortly following a major rain event to confirm that water is flowing freely through the Shared Tile, and (ii) if no major rain events occur, inspectthe surface in the areaof the Shared tile at least once during each calendar year for signs that any Shared Tile has been damaged, collapsed, or filled with sediment. During subsequent operation of the Project, the Company will inspect the surface in the area of the Shared Tile on the Project Property at least once each calendar year for signs that any Shared Tile has been damaged, collapsed, or filled with sediment. If Shared Tile is found to be damaged, collapsed, filled with sediment, or is otherwise not properly functioning, the Company will promptly repair such Shared Tile, unless poor weatherorsoilconditionsnecessitatealongerrepairperiod.IfrepairstoSharedTilelocatedontheProject Land also necessitate repairs to a section of Shared Tile located on the Neighbor Land, then with the Neighbor’s written consent and at the Company’s expense, the Company also will repair that.
(b) Neighbor Concerns. If the Neighbor notifies the Company that the Neighbor believes that a portion of the Neighbor Land has excess surface water resulting from any changes to Shared Tile due to the Project, then the Company’s representative will promptly meet with the Neighbor to inspect the relevant portions of the Neighbor Land and the Project Land. If the inspection reveals that any Shared Tile on the Project Land is damaged, collapsed, filled with sediment, or is otherwise not properly functioning, then the Company will repair such Shared Tile as provided above. If repairs to Shared Tile located on the Project Land also necessitate repairs to a section of Shared Tile located on the Neighbor Land, then with the Neighbor’s written consent and at the Company’s expense, the Company also will repair that as provided above.
4. Tile Work Standards. The Company’s installation of Shared Tile will follow National Resource Conservation Services (referred to as “NRCS”) Ohio Practice Standard 606, “Subsurface Drain” (January 2014) andNRCSEngineeringFieldHandbook,Part650,Chapter14,“WaterManagement (Drainage)”(February2021), or their successors. The Company’s repair of Shared Tile will follow NRCS Construction Specification OH-0, “Subsurface Drain Investigation, Removal and, Repair” (January 2017) or its successor.
5. Protection from Drainage Due to Project Where new tile systems are not installed, the Company will avoid, where possible, or minimize to the extent practicable, any damage to functioning drain tile ontheProject LandadjacenttotheNeighborLand.Draintilethat isdamagedduringconstructionwill bepromptly repaired or rerouted to at least its original condition ormodern equivalent. The Companymay only leave damaged draintile ontheProject LandunrepairedifthedraintileoftheNeighborLandremainsunaffected andthedamaged drain tile does not route directly onto the Neighbor Land, i.e., the damaged drain tile is not Shared Tile The Company will design the Project so that the Neighbor Land is protected from unwanted drainage problems due to construction and operation of the Project.
6. Crop Damage Reimbursement. The Company will pay the Neighbor for any crop losses sustained due to the surface flooding of the Neighbor Land caused by the Company’s failure to comply with this Agreement. This applies to any crops the Neighbor is prevented from planting on the Neighbor Land due to sustainedfloodingandanycropsthat areirreparablydamagedand/ordestroyedbyfloodingonthe Neighbor Land. The amount of the damages will be the fair market value of the crops lost calculated as if the crops were fully mature and capable of being harvested. The fair market value of the crops will be calculated based on the Neighbor’s yields and price average for the prior three years for the Neighbor Land, as shown by the Neighbor’s business records. If the Neighbor does not have yield records, the fair market value will be the average of the Multi-Peril Insurance historic yields for the area in which the Neighbor Land is located for the prior three years. The Company will make any payments by December 30 of the year in which the crop loss occurs, provided that the Neighbor has notified the Company of the crop loss no later than December 1 of that year.
7. Construction Point of Contact. Prior to the start of construction, the Company will provide to the Neighbor the name and contact information for a representative who the Neighbor may contact during construction with any questions, concerns or complaints about Shared Tile or drainage.
8. Shared Tile Payment. In recognition of the time spent by the Neighbor to provide information for and to review the Drain Tile Assessment, the Company will pay the Neighbor $2,500 within 60 days after the start of construction of the Project.
B. Commitments by the Neighbor
1. Opportunity to Resolve Concerns. If the Neighbor has any concern or complaint about the Project, the Company, or the implementation of this Agreement, the Neighbor will contact the Company and give it an opportunity to work in good faith with the Neighbor to resolve the concern or complaint. Please note that this obligation does not limit the Neighbor’s right to take any other action to address the concern or complaint. This Agreement also does not prevent the Neighbor from raising at any time, including during construction, operation, or decommissioning, any question, concern, orcomplaint about the Project to anyperson, including the Company, the Ohio Power Siting Board, or any public official.
2. Drain Tile Information. The Neighbor will provide the Company, within 30 days after receiving a written request from the Company, any maps in the Neighbor’s possession, or other information of which the Neighbor is aware, that identifies, depicts, or describes the nature or location of subsurface drain tile that may cross the property line between the Neighbor Land and the Project Land
3. DrainTileCooperation. TheNeighboragreestocooperatewith theCompanyanditscontractors during construction and operation of the Project to make any needed changes or repairs to Shared Tile.
C. Other Matters
1. Eligible Neighbor. The Neighbor eligible to enter into this Agreement is the person or persons who own the parcel or parcels identified by county parcel number and acreage listed below. If more than one person owns the parcel or parcels, then each person should sign this Agreement. There will be only one set of payments per parcel or set of parcels.
2. Termination. If the construction of the Project has not begun by December 31, 2030, then this Agreement will terminate If the construction of the Project begins by December 31, 2030, then this Agreement will terminate at the end of the operating life of the Project.
3. Transparency. This Agreement is not confidential and the Neighbor is free to share it with any other person whether or not it has been signed.
4. Public Participation. The process by which the Ohio Power Siting Board considers whether to issue a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need to a proposed energy facility includes several opportunities for public input. These opportunities include submitting written comments, attending “Public Information Meetings” about the Project, and attending or speaking at a “Local Public Hearing” about the Project. the Company fully supports the Neighbor providing public input regarding the Project, and this Agreement in no way affects or is intended to discourage such input.
The Neighbor and the Company each enter into this Agreement by their signature and date below:
NEIGHBOR: CROSSROADS SOLARI,LLC:
Signature Signature
Printed Name
Home Address: _______________________
Printed Name
Title:
Date:
Parcel Nos. and Acreage of Neighbor Land:
Date:
March 28, 2025
[Name] [Address] [City, State, Zip]
Re: Invitation to Neighbor Dinner
Dear [Title] [Last Name],
We have written to you before about the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center that our company is developing south of Cardington, and you may have attended our Public Information Meeting about it a few weeks ago. We are writing again to invite you and just a few of your nearby neighbors to a dinner, brief presentation, and “question & answer” session about the project. The event will be held at our office in Cardington at the date, time, and location below. We hope that you can make it.
You and anyone who lives in your house is welcome to join us. To make sure we have enough food for everyone, we ask that you please let us know that you are coming and how many from your home we can expect. Please just call or text Dan Cech at (810) 623-7624 or email him at dan@openroadrenewables.com. Please note this is a private event for neighbors only (those who live within ¼ mile of the proposed project area).
What: Crossroads Neighbor Dinner
When: April [Date], 2025, from 5:30 to 7:00pm
Where: 114 West Main Street (Office C, on the east side of the office)
Who: Neighbors of the proposed Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
If you are unable to make the dinner and have any questions about the project, please feel free to contact us or stop by our office in Cardington.
We look forward to seeing you.
Best regards,
Craig Adair
Dan Cech Vice President – Development Director of Community Relations
Re: Deadline to Sign Up for the Crossroads Good Neighbor Program – July 18, 2025
Dear [Title] [Last Name],
I’m writing to remind you about the Good Neighbor Program (the “Program”) for the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center (the “Project”) in which you are eligible to participate. The deadlinetoparticipatein theProgram is Friday,July 18,2025. Ifyouwouldliketoparticipate, please sign and return the enclosed documents to us no later than that date.
As a reminder, the Program is voluntary and is designed to memorialize the Project’s commitments to neighbors regarding setbacks, landscaping, and other design features and to establish a constructive framework for communication with the Project during construction and operation of the facility. The Program includes financial compensation of $14,500 at the start of construction of the Project. A copy of the Good Neighbor Agreement is enclosed. If you would like to participate in the Program, please sign and date the agreement at the bottom of page 3, and return the agreement to us using the enclosed, postage pre-paid envelope. You are also welcome to drop it off with us at our office in Cardington. See address below.
Thanks to those who attended one of the Public Information Meetings in Cardington about the Project proposal. We expect to file a permit application for the Project to the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) in August. Detailed information about the Project, including maps and responses to common concerns about solar development, are available on our website, www.crossroads.solar. Once submitted, the application materials will available under the case docket on OPSB’s website, which you can access from: https://www.crossroads.solar/opsbapplication.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions about the Good Neighbor Agreement or the Project. A member of the Crossroads team would be happy to meet with you at our office in Cardington or at another location convenient for you.
Best regards,
Craig Adair
Dan Cech Vice President – Development Director of Community Relations
between Crossroads Solar Grazing Center and Home Owner
Crossroads Solar I, LLC (referred to as “the Company”) and the home owner who signs below (referred to as “the Neighbor”) enter into this Good Neighbor Agreement (referred to as “the Agreement”). TheAgreementbecomeseffectivewhenboththeCompanyandtheNeighborhavesigned
Background
1. The Company is developing a combined solar energy and sheep grazing facility called the Crossroads Solar Grazing Center on private land in Morrow County (referred to as “the Project”)
2. The Project will consist mostly of fenced fields of solar panels that supply power to the electric grid with rotational sheep grazing used to manage vegetation within the fences
3. The Project will generate clean energy for Ohio, provide economic opportunities to local land owners and livestock producers, and provide new revenue to local governments
4. To advance the development of the Project, the Company plans to:
(a) Have the Project certified by the Ohio Department of Development as a “Qualified Energy Project,” which would require the Company to make payments to Morrow County taxing districts of up to $846,000 every year during the expected 40-year life of the Project;
(b) Obtain a “Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need” for the Project from the Ohio Power Siting Board, which will authorize the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Project; and
(c) Committoa“RoadUseandMaintenanceAgreement”withlocalauthoritiesunder which the Company would repair, at its cost, any damage to local roads caused by construction of the Project, and which would be backed by a bond of at least $1 million
5. The Project will be located near the Neighbor’s home and, although the Project will meet all applicable legal requirements, the Company wants to be a good neighbor and seeks to minimize any impacts to the Neighbor. In particular, the Company acknowledges that construction of the Project, which could take 12-18 months, may be inconvenient to the Neighbor
6. Inordertoworktogetherconstructivelyforthebenefitofthecommunity,andinexchange for each other’s commitments below, the Company and the Neighbor enter into this Agreement.
Agreement
A. Commitments by the Company
1. Fencing. Each of the fields of solar panels will be enclosed within a wire fence (not chain link) no more than 7 feet high and without any barbed wire or advertising.
2. Minimum Setbacks. The solar panels will be at least 300 feet from Neighbor’s home, which is the length of a football field (This is a minimum setback distance, and the actual distance may be much more.)
3. Maximum Height. Thesolarpanels will nohigherthan15feet duringnormal operations.
4. Landscaping. Except where existing vegetation, buildings or other obstacles mostly screen the Project from view, there will be a planted line of trees and shrubs outside any segment of the fence that is within 600 feet (the length of two football fields) of the Neighbor’s home. The trees and shrubs will include native species and will be designed by a licensed landscape architect to improve the views from the Neighbor’s home. The landscaping will be planted during construction of the Project and maintained for the life of the Project.
5. Lights. Any fixed, permanent lights will be on only when used or motion-activated.
6. Community Meeting. Before the start of construction of the Project, a community meetingwillbeheldinthearea toprovidebasicinformationabouttheconstructionprocess andschedule, review expected delivery truck routes, answer questions from members of the community, and provide contact information for questions or concerns that may arise during construction.
7. Good Neighbor Payment. Within 60 days after the start of construction of the Project, the Company will pay the Neighbor $14,500.
B. Commitments by the Neighbor
1. Drain Tile Information. The Neighbor will provide the Company, within 30 days after receiving a written request from the Company, any maps or other information of which the Neighbor is aware that identifies, depicts, or describes subsurface drain tile that may cross the property line between the Neighbor’s land and any parcel on which the Project will be located.
2. Opportunity to Resolve Concerns. If the Neighbor has any concern or complaint about the construction or operation of the Project, the Neighbor will contact the Company and give the Company an opportunity to work in good faith with the Neighbor to resolve the concern or complaint. This obligation does not limit the Neighbor’s right to later take any other action the Neighbor wishes to in order to address the concern or complaint to the Neighbor’s satisfaction.
C. Other Matters
1. Eligible Neighbor. The Neighbor eligible to enter into this Agreement is the person who owns (or the persons who own) the home at the address on the letter accompanying this Agreement. If more than one person owns the home, then each person should sign and date the Agreement. There will be only one payment per home.
2. Termination of Agreement. If the construction of the Project has not begun by December 31, 2029, then the Agreement will automatically terminate and the payment will not be made. If the construction of the Project begins by December 31, 2029, then the Agreement will automatically terminateattheendofthelifeoftheProject,which isexpectedtobe40years.ThisAgreementterminates if and when the Neighbor no longer owns the home.
3. Transparency. This Agreement is not confidential and the Neighbor is free to share it with any other person whether or not the Agreement has been signed.
4. Public Participation. The process by which the Ohio Power Siting Board considers whether to issue a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need to a proposed project includes several opportunities for public input. These opportunities include submitting written comments, attending a “Public Information Meeting” about the Project, and attending or speaking at a “Local Public Hearing” about the Project. The Company fully supports the Neighbor providing public input regarding the Project, and this Agreement in no way affects or is intended to discourage such input or affect the Neighbor’s views.
5. Original Agreement Not Needed. Original ink signatures are not required for the Agreement to be effective
The Company and the Neighbor each enter into this Agreement by their signature and date below:
NEIGHBOR:
Signature of Neighbor
COMPANY:
Signature
Signature of additional Neighbor, if any Printed Name
Printed Name(s) of Neighbor(s):
Title:
Date:
Home Address:
Date:
Appendix C
Preliminary Layout Before and After Community Input
Low-Profile, Quiet, and Passive Land Use for Decades
Landscaping
Crossroads will include a 25 - 35 ft. vegetative buffer where equipment is most visible to the public.
Crossroads will feature robust landscaping around its perimeter to minimize viewshed impacts and to partially screen the project from view at neighboring homes and roads. Surface equipment will be enclosed with agricultural-style fencing.
Solar panels are placed at least 300 feet away from any home.
Setbacks
Other minimum equipment setbacks:
50 ft. from panels to neighboring property lines
500 ft. from inverters to non-participating residences
150 ft. from solar panels to public roads
Sound Land Use
Project inverters, which convert power from DC to AC, produce some sound but are located a minimum of 500 feet from residences. The State of Ohio requires a sound study to ensure minimal noise impacts at nearby homes.
Once built, solar projects are quiet neighbors.
Dual solar-agricultural land use.
Crossroads will feature dual agricultural-solar land use, with pollinator habitats created within perimeter landscaping and sheep grazing inside the facility.
Inverter
Community Benefits
Utility-scale solar development brings significant investment to the Ohio townships, counties, and communities where projects are located. At Open Road, we strive to be active community partners at county fairs, chambers of commerce, local universities, and other local initiatives.
Community Partnership Program
Crossroads in Morrow County
Road Use Maintenance Agreement will require repair of roads damaged during construction
Training and equipment for the Cardington and Elm Valley Fire Departments*
Member and Sponsor of the Morrow County Chamber of Commerce
Member and Sponsor of Friends of Cardington
Over $15,000 in donations and sponsorships of local initiatives and organizations
Office in Cardington opened in January 2025
*Assumes approval of proposed PILOT
Northridge School District
In addition to local taxes or PILOT obligations, Open Road Renewables’ Community Partnership Program includes direct payments to communities, non-profit organizations, and local initiatives that benefit residents and the surrounding area.
2024 Christmas in Cardington
Construction & Decommissioning
Construction
Construction of Crossroads is expected to take 12 to 15 months. Construction activities are generally limited to the hours of 7am to 7pm (or dusk). Concrete is typically only used for substation and inverter foundations (and possibly fence posts). Steel piles are driven directly into the ground (no concrete foundations). Construction requirements include:
70% of construction workers must be Ohio-based
Compliance with Ohio EPA Construction General Permit
Compliance with Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
Use of "Best Management Practices" for erosion and sediment control
Vegetative ground cover planted in disturbed areas
Construction point of contact and complaint resolution system for neighbors and the public
Repair of road damage per Road Use and Maintenance Agreement
Decommissioning
At the end of Crossroads’ useful life (35-40 years), the facility will be “decommissioned:” all surface equipment will be removed, and the land will be restored to its previous agricultural condition.
To ensure funds are available for decommissioning and restoration, Crossroads Solar will be required to maintain a bond (a financial assurance instrument) for the life of the facility. The bond is assessed on a regular basis to account for inflation and changes in decommissioning costs.
As part of the OPSB permit application, Crossroads Solar will submit a preliminary Decommissioning Plan that describes:
Removal of equipment from the site
Removal and decompaction of roads
Restoration of agricultural land to substantially its pre-solar condition.
Access road
Buried cable installation Erosion and sediment control Substation
Utility-scale solar project owners take great care to preserve the topsoil in and around the project site to facilitate establishment of vegetative ground cover.
Crossroads permit conditions will limit the amount of grading in the project area and will require soil testing both before construction and after decommissioning, to ensure that the soil is returned to its pre-solar condition.
Farmland Stewardship
Crossroads will occupy less than 0.5% of the farmland in Morrow County and, during the 40 year life of the solar project, will protect that farmland from permanent loss to real estate development. Additionally, a variety of measures are taken in the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of solar projects like Crossroads to minimize impacts to farmland and to ensure the viability of continued agricultural use post-decommissioning.
The racking systems that support the panels will be installed on steel piles driven directly into the ground about every 10 feet, without the use of concrete foundations.
Crossroads will establish and maintain native vegetation below and around the panels, which allows the soil to rest resulting in various agricultural and environmental benefits.
Solar projects use substantially fewer chemical fertilizers and pesticides which, along with the establishment of year-round native vegetation and the addition of organic matter from sheep grazing, helps rehabilitate agricultural soils that have been depleted by long-term row crop farming.
Solar Economic Drivers
What is driving the development of utility-scale solar energy in Ohio?
The costs of solar technology have declined dramatically over the last decade, making electricity generated from utility-scale solar facilities cost competitive with traditional energy sources. Large energy consumers, including many Fortune 500 companies, are purchasing solar energy from projects like Crossroads because it lowers their costs and helps their bottom lines. This market-based demand is driving solar developers to site new facilities–and the jobs and economic development that come with them–in the Buckeye State.
The Cost of Electricity from Solar PV
The Cost of Building Solar PV
The Cost of Electricity from Solar PV Compared to Other Sources
Regulation of Utility-Scale Solar
The Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) is a state commission responsible for regulating certain types of major utility facilities, including electricity generation (e.g., solar projects > 50 MW), transmission lines, pipelines, and other utility infrastructure projects in Ohio. The Ohio Revised Code establishes a rigorous, comprehensive, and public process by which the OPSB evaluates and then approves or denies proposed facilities.
The OPSB permitting process is designed to ensure that proposed projects are evaluated carefully and that any potential impacts are considered before making a decision. The OPSB is comprised of seven standing members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Ohio Senate, and two ad-hoc members appointed by the county and township where the proposed project is located.
OPSB Voting Board Members
OPSB Site-Specific Studies
As part of the permitting process, Crossroads will submit numerous sitespecific studies and surveys that OPSB will use to evaluate the proposed facility.
Brian Baldridge, Director
Solar Technology and Electricity Delivery
How Solar Cells Generate Electricity
When sunlight enters the cell, its energy knocks electrons loose in both layers. Because of the opposite charges of the layers, the electrons want to flow from the n-type layer to the p-type layer. But the electrified field at the P-N junction prevents this from happening.
The presence of an external circuit, however, provides the necessary path for electrons in the n-type layer to travel to the p-type layer. The electrons flowing through this circuit -- typically thin wires running along the top of the ntype layer -- provide the cell's owner with a supply of electricity.
Electricity Generation to Consumer
Photovoltaic Technologies
Utility-scale solar projects generate electricity that powers Ohio’s homes, schools, and businesses.
Typical composition (by weight) of…
Crystalline Silicon Modules
93% - Glass, aluminum, and polymers
3% - Silicon
1% - Copper
0.1% - Lead
Sources:
Thin Film Modules
97% - Glass 3% - Polymers
- Cadmium Telluride
Crystalline Silicon Thin Film
Cadmium Selenide (CdSe)
Here's
Community Benefits
Crossroads PILOT Summary
$33.8 MILLION
What is a "PILOT"?
The PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) program allows local communities to create a lasting partnership with a
The Crossroads PILOT in action. Creating jobs, increasing local and state revenues, and creating clean and domestic energy.
$846,000 of the construction workforce must come from Ohio residents 70%
180+ construction jobs of clean energy annually to local schools and services
Drain Tile
Crossroads will complete a comprehensive Drain Tile Assessment, including extensive mapping of existing drain tile based on information from landowners, the Soil and Water Conservation District, and satellite imagery. The Drain Tile Assessment will be submitted to OPSB for review along with the project’s permit application. For most parts of the project area, the existing drain tile system will be decommissioned and a new one designed in concert with the solar facilities. The new system will be installed and maintained throughout the life of the project. Crossroads will consult with the owners of adjacent agricultural parcels regarding any shared drain tile infrastructure, and the project’s permit will prohibit adverse drainage impacts on neighboring properties. Crossroads is committed to ensuring that drain tile networks continue to function properly for Project neighbors.
Agriculture and Clean Energy Generation Working Hand-in-Hand
Vegetation management utilizing grazing livestock offer unique opportunities for utility-scale solar arrays and areas in which they are sited, benefiting environmental ecology and increasing vitality of rural and agricultural communities. Grazing livestock are highly efficient in converting forage into beneficial resources such as meat, milk, and fiber.
The Crossroads Solar Grazing Center will use sheep grazing for vegetation management at the project’s site. Crossroads will plant robust ground vegetation in order to preserve the soil for cultivation, to provide erosion control and stormwater management benefits, and to serve as a pasture and food source for sheep.
The height of the vegetation will be actively managed by sheep grazing to prevent shading the solar panels.
The use of grazing sheep has emerged across the United States as a cost-competitive alternative to solely mechanical and chemical control of vegetation under solar panels, as grazing sheep requires minimal changes to common ground-mount solar configurations. Animal grazing can be an attractive option for communities that host solar infrastructure because it supports continued agricultural land use, aligns with sustainability mandates, and—when managed with sound grazing practices— sheep can perform as well as mechanical mowing equipment in both cost and efficiency.
An example of mowing only on the left and grazing on the right.
Hybrid model: mowing with low intensity grazing
Conceptual illustration representing Ground Plane Buffer module plantings at approximately 7 to 10 years after installation
virginiana / American Hophornbeam Populus tremuloides / Quaking Aspen Small Flowering Tree 1 Amelanchier alnifolia / Serviceberry* Asimina triloba / Pawpaw* Cercis canadensis / Eastern Redbud Crataegus
Conceptual illustration representing Comprehensive Screening module plantings at approximately 7 to 10 years after installation
Chinkapin Oak
Hophornbeam
Tulip Tree Hackberry Freeman Maple Quaking Aspen
Sugar Maple
Linden
Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
Lincoln, and Westfield Townships, Marrow County County, Ohio
Crossroads Solar Grazing Center
Lincoln, and Westfield Townships, Marrow County County, Ohio
What is SOLAR GRAZING and HOW DOES IT WORK?
Solar grazing is the method of vegetation control on a solar site using grazing livestock. Sheep are most often used for this work as they are best suited for solar installations due to their size and grazing behavior.
Solar companies contract with local sheep farmers to move the sheep onto the site in the spring, care for them through the grazing season, and move them off of the site for the winter. The shepherds provide water and minerals, monitor the health of the sheep and manage them to ensure vegetation doesn’t become overgrown and shade the solar panels.
Sheep enjoy eating many types of weeds and invasive species, and are good at grazing underneath the panels where it is more labor intensive to mechanically mow. The well designed perimeter fence around a site contains the sheep and protects them from predators. The solar panels provide the sheep shelter from rain, wind, and direct sun on hot days.
Does solar grazing provide a meaningful opportunity for farmers?
The opportunity presented by solar grazing has the potential to be a game changer in terms of how both small and large sheep producers can realize value from their animals. Grazing sheep on solar sites helps to maintain a rural landscape, adds additional income streams to local farms, and enhances land stewardship.
Why do sheep farmers participate in solar grazing?
New pastures and good fences bring sheep farmers to solar sites, providing an opportunity to sustain healthier and larger flocks. The sheep farmer usually enters into a contract with the solar owner who will pay the farmer to keep the vegetation in check, request for performance guarantees and insurance. The additional income helps the sheep farmer secure their farm operation. The solar owner will often supply other accommodation such as access to water or electricity. Solar Grazing Contract Templates are available for download at www.solargrazing.org.
Do farmers need special sheep to get under the panels?
No. There are dozens of varieties of sheep being used for this work. The most common sheep breeds used for solar grazing are Katahdins and Dorpers, which are standard sized sheep.
Who does this and where?
At last count, the U.S. has over 15,000 acres of solar sites maintained with sheep. Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Australia and South America all use sheep to maintain the vegetation around and beneath solar arrays.
The American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) is a nonprofit group of sheep farmers and solar companies that has organized themselves to answer questions and educate others about solar grazing. For more information and for assistance in getting your flock started with solar grazing sites, please contact ASGA at info@solargrazing.org.
What about the bees?
Solar sites can host honeybeesand some host hives - along with grazing sheep. There are sites in North America where sheep farmers work alongside the beekeeper to their mutual benefit. Each solar site manager should work with the sheep farmer to develop a grazing plan that meets the needs of all parties. A Solar Beekeeping Contract Template is available for download at www.solargrazing.org.
Photo by Dennis Schroeder / NREL National Renewable Energy Lab
