About the Project
SWEB Development USA, LLC is developing a large-scale solar project in Steuben County New York called the Addison Solar Project (the Project). The Project is expected to be 120 megawatts (MW) AC with the potential to power 18,000 homes across New York State annually. The Project is located on the across the borders of the Towns of Addison, Campbell, and Erwin. The Project will contribute to the local communities by producing tax revenues, employment opportunities, and other economic benefits for the area.
SWEB has identified Steuben County as a suitable site for the Addison Solar Project. This site was selected due to a variety of factors such as avaialble grid capacity, appropriate land use types, adequate space for a large scale solar project, adequate solar irradiance levels, minimal physical constraints, and minimal potential for environmental impacts.
Please see below for a Map of the Addison Solar Project
Benefits & Potential Impacts
Project Benefits
Tax Revenues
The Addison Solar project will provide significant tax revenues to the Towns of Addison, Campbell, and Erwin, as well as to the local School Districts and Steuben County.
Contract Opportunities
The Addison Solar project will provide significant tax revenues to the Towns of Addison, Campbell, and Erwin, as well as to the local School Districts and Steuben County.
Jobs
In addition to the opportunities to bid for contracts for work or materials, the Addison Solar Project will create approximately 450 jobs either directly or through supporting local businesses and economies.
Land Agreements
SWEB will be paying up to $ 1 million annually to local landowners for leases and easements towards the project. These leases and easements present a steady and secure source of income for numerous local community members. Furthermore, by safeguarding the farmland from residential development, the site can be returned to agricultural use once the Project reaches the end of its useful life, preserving the land's agricultural.
Host Community Benefit Program
SWEB is committed to forming a Host Community Benefit Program with the Towns of Addison, Campbell, and Erwin. This program would provide additional financial support to the local communities during the operation of the Addison Solar Project.
State Goals
The Addison Solar Project assists New York State in achieving its goal to produce 70% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. Currently, New York State only produces 26% of its electricity from clean energy.
Potential Impacts
SWEB is committed to minimizing potential environmental impacts of the Addison Solar Project
Wildlife
SWEB will collaborate with various governmental entities and other organizations to ensure that potential impacts on wildlife and their habitat(s) are understood, reduced, and mitigated. Fragmentation of forested habitat will be avoided where possible, and if not possible, will be limited to the maximum extent practicable.
Noise
SWEB will be conducting a detailed acoustic assessment to determine potential noise impacts associated with construction and operation of the proposed Addison Solar Project . SWEB will be utilizing various strategies to reduce noise impacts during construction such as only performing construction works during prescribed and approved daytime hours.
Visual
SWEB will be conducting a visual impact assessment to determine potential visual impacts from the proposed Addison Solar Project. SWEB is committed to minimizing impacts on the community character by strategically implementing vegetative screening, maximizing distances from residential areas, and avoiding sensitive resources and receptors where possible. The project will maintain a subtle presence compared to other forms of development due to its low height.
Wetlands
SWEB will be conducting wetland and waterbody surveys to assess the existing site’s hydrology, ecosystems, connectivity, and more. SWEB is committed to ensuring that the Addison Solar Project will not harm existing wetlands located on or nearby the site.
Agriculture
SWEB will be creating an agriculture plan to mitigate potential construction impacts on existing agricultural lands associated with the proposed Addison Solar Project. Long-term leases allow farmers to secure stable revenues that enable them to sustain their agricultural operations and make investments in innovation and modernization.
Stormwater
SWEB will be implementing a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) to ensure the Addison Solar Project will not cause additional storm water runoff to the Project area . The plan’s objectives are to either decrease or maintain the current levels of stormwater runoff in the area.
About SWEB
SWEB is rooted in the idea that community matters and ownership makes a difference in the world of energy transition. SWEB has been developing, constructing, and operating renewable energy projects throughout the USA and eastern Canada for over a decade.
SWEB Energy is part of the W.E.B international group of companies and through W.E.B.’s European involvement, the group has over 25 years of community-based renewable energy project experience and over 609 MW of projects in operation, including 30 MW of wind energy projects and 7 MW of solar projects in communities across the Northeast US.
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