KENT COUNTY, Del.- Agricultural land in Kent County has drawn the attention of utility solar companies over the past few years due to low land value and close proximity to the power grid. On Tuesday, the Levy Court passed legislation that prohibits large scale solar farms on agricultural land.
Farmland in Smyrna, Del. was purchased by Freepoint Solar earlier this year. The company has plans to open a solar farm across more than 200 acres.
The plan was originally struck down by the Levy Court, and is partly what inspired the new ordinance.
Fourth District Levy Court Commissioner, Eric Buckson, said the county worked tirelessly to create legislation that would protect farmers while still embracing clean energy options.
"The legislation still promotes green energy but works in conjunction with the agricultural community to keep their big large tracks of land in tact and free to farm on," said Buckson.
Currently, there are also pending court cases between landowners and utility solar companies in Delaware.
Tricia Hurd-Nash owns land in the Agricultural Conservation district in Kent County. She said she is not against solar energy when it is practiced responsibly.
"I feel like this argument has been turned into are you for or against solar and that's not the argument," said Hurd-Nash. "There is a place to put solar and it's over parking lots for shade, on top of commercial buildings, or on top of the Amazon factory in Middletown. It's not on farmland that we need in order to eat and survive."
If the Freepoint Solar Project is approved, Amazon has agreed to purchase more than half of the power produced. Hurd-Nash says this is not beneficial to the people of Kent County as the Amazon factory is in New Castle County.
Small scale solar projects are still permitted on agricultural land up to 1600 acres, per the Levy Court.