Contributed by ROB DANIELSON
La Farge Community Solar Advisory Committee
The La Farge Community Solar Advisory Committee invites the public to attend the consultants’ first report concerning feasibility and options for a sizable community-owned solar facility.
The meeting will be at Organic Valley Headquarters in La Farge on Tuesday, Feb. 2, starting at 12 p.m. Ask for Akshay Gavai or Nicole Spinelli at the front desk to be escorted to the meeting room.
Alicia Leinberger and Wes Slaymaker of Ethos Green Power (Viroqua) have been studying financial and management models and possible solar farm locations. They will present a first set of findings for the advisory committee to consider. Of particular emphasis are the committee’s goals to keep ownership local, make benefits high and uniform for both small and large electric customers and use the facility to control village energy peaks and deliver savings for all electric customers.
The advisory committee, made up of seven voting members, will use the consultants’ recommendations to narrow down options to be studied in greater detail. The public is encouraged to inform committee members of their preferences and suggestions.
Large power users are represented by Akshay Gavai of Organic Valley and Kyle Bakkum of Vernon Memorial Healthcare. La Farge Trucking Center also is providing input at this phase.
Brad Steinmetz, Chuck Hatfield, Jason Vidas, Erin Malone and Kimberly Kafka are receiving input from residential electric users. Government, school and organizations can provide input to Rob Danielson of the Energy Planning Committee of the Town of Stark. Wayne Carpenter is representing the La Farge Municipal Utility.
Contact Rob Danielson at 625-4949 or type@mwt.net for contact information or to receive email announcements about project progress.