Buckeye Reporter

The Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners has approved tax abatements for a new 250-acre solar farm to be situated just west of Dayton. Instead of paying the full share of property taxes, the solar farm will be permitted to make reduced payments in lieu of taxes.

The Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners, according to a resolution from the board itself, consists of three elected commissioners: Board President Deborah Lieberman, Judy Dodge, and Carolyn Rice.

The resolution indicates that the board agreed to grant Gem City Solar the tax abatement. The members highlighted that the "approval of the Project's Application for Certification pursuant to this Resolution is expressly conditioned upon the payment by the Company, or successor owner of the Project, of an annual service payment in lieu of taxes." These payments are anticipated to generate about $2.2 million in revenue for the county over the first five years of the project. However, the resolution did not specify how much revenue would be lost due to this agreement.

Court News Ohio reports that Gem City Solar's project is not unique in central Ohio. The Alamo Solar I and Angelina Solar I projects have recently been authorized by the Ohio Supreme Court. The court determined that these projects were properly sanctioned by the Ohio Power Siting Board, which had correctly followed its rules. This rapid expansion of solar energy has triggered significant local opposition.

Preble County resident Jill Sorrell is one such opponent. Living near Alamo Solar I, Sorrell expressed her dissatisfaction with the court's recent decision on social media. In a Facebook post, she described it as a "sad day for Preble County" when the verdict was announced. She added concerns about her farm's proximity to these solar farms and their potential impact on wildlife and property values among other issues.

The installation rate of solar generation has seen a rapid increase in recent years. The Solar Energy Industries Association reports that as of June 2023, Ohio had installed 1.38 megawatts of solar generation, representing an investment of over $2 billion. This puts Ohio at 22nd place nationally for installed solar generation, a significant rise from its previous ranking of 32nd.