A controversial solar project in Knox County has received approval from the Ohio Power Siting Board, which oversees the development of energy projects in the state.
Frasier Solar will put solar panels on swaths of disconnected farmland in Miller and Clinton townships and in Mount Vernon. The total project is about 800 acres in size and will involve some 250,000 solar panels.
Sheep will graze around the solar panels in order to manage the vegetation.
The developer, Texas-based Open Road Renewables, said they’re “thrilled” that Frasier Solar can move forward.
“We’re proud to be a part of Knox County’s future and excited to help meet Ohio’s rapidly growing energy needs with reliable, homegrown power,” said Craig Adair, Open Road Renewables' vice president of development.
Open Road Renewables submitted an application for Frasier Solar to the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) in Oct. 2023. The project became the subject of serious debate among residents and a flashpoint in a 2024 Republican Knox County Commissioners’ primary race. Drenda Keessee and Barry Lester won nominations, and later seats, running on anti-solar platforms.
Two organized opposition groups, including one that appeared to be very well-funded, sprung up to fight against the project. They argued the project would ruin farmland and rural aesthetics, while also raising concerns about environmental contamination.
Adair said Frasier Solar prevailed despite “an aggressive campaign carried about by shadowy interests to spread vast amounts of information.”
Other Open Road Renewables' executives have pointed to increased organized opposition as a roadblock for solar projects. Earlier this year, Open Road Renewables pulled the plug on a solar grazing facility in Logan County after OPSB recommended denying the application because it “failed to establish that the facility (would) serve public interest.”
Frasier Solar did receive support from groups of neighbors and environmental activists who praised it as clean energy or saw a solar farm as a better use of land than something like housing development.
Eventually, the state was forced to set additional public meetings to allow everyone time to give feedback.
Along the way, Open Road Renewables argued that the project would provide steady income to farmers who were choosing to lease their land to the company.
Now, Open Road Renewables reports that the construction of Frasier Solar will create more than 200 temporary jobs, while its operation will require several permanent positions. Once operational, the solar project is expected to generate around $1 million in taxes every year, with about half of that money going to the Mount Vernon City School District. Tax money will also flow to Knox County’s general fund, the city of Mount Vernon, the public library system and more.
Open Road Renewables said Frasier Solar will also help meet growing energy demand. Power needs in central Ohio are expected to increase rapidly, in part due to data centers which consume large amounts of electricity.
Environmental and clean energy organizations celebrated the project’s approval on Thursday.
“Today, in a long-awaited decision, the Ohio Power Siting Board approved the Frasier Solar Project, an important step towards addressing climate change for the benefit of birds and communities,” Audubon Great Lakes wrote in a statement.
Audubon Great Lakes said Open Rod Renewables consulted with them and other environmental stakeholders to “identify and address potential bird and wildlife impacts,” noting that the effort was “important.”
The Ohio Environmental Council called OSPB’s approval of the project a “transformative moment for Knox County and for Ohio’s clean energy future.”
“Frasier Solar stands as a model for how clean energy can support both our environment and our rural economy, while making our grid more reliable,” OEC Clean Energy attorney Karin Nordstrom said in a statement. “Through projects like Frasier Solar, Ohio is taking a bold step toward reducing air pollution and combating climate change, ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future for generations to come.”
Open Road Renewables has not said when construction will start.
