Ransom Twp. officials formally heard plans for a solar farm that has concerned residents.
Pivot Energy is seeking a conditional use permit to build 6,550 solar modules on 18 acres of a 200-acre parcel, a former quarry, at Ransom and Lower Narrows roads.
The fenced-in farm will use a single-axis tracking system to follow the sun throughout the day and maximize energy production on site, Gordon Woodcock, project director at the Denver-based company, said in an email last week. He added the farm will produce enough electrical energy each year for approximately 600 homes.
In addition, the project area will be planted with a mix of native grasses and flowering plants to provide habitat for pollinators and ensure compatibility with sheep that will be grazing within the array, Woodcock said.
Township supervisors approved a lease with Pivot Energy in 2019 for the property, with the developer leasing the property for 20 years.
The developer applied for a conditional use permit with township officials in December, with supervisors holding hearings on it last month.
A sign near the site of a proposed solar farm in Ransom Twp. Friday, May 2, 2025. (Christine Lee/Staff Photo)
Residents have questioned the project, mainly its impact on the township. More than 45 people voiced concerns about it during an open house that Pivot Energy hosted in the fall at the Municipal Building.
Those who spoke expressed concerns about property values and how the array would affect the township’s rural character and wildlife. Many also believe the array could produce problems and said it doesn’t benefit them or the township.
Multiple yard signs reading “Save Our Farms, Say No! to Solar Farms #SaveNewtonandRansomLand,” are in front of homes around the site.
The developers told the crowd during the open house their lease of the property would generate tax revenue for the township, and they support local workforce development and 4-H activities.
They said the array would not exceed 65 decibels, would comply with township codes and would not affect wildlife in the area. They talked with Paula Noto, whose property borders the site, and said residents will receive energy generated by the panels.
Gentry Rouse, director of new markets for Pivot, said at the open house in the fall that officials have been planning the solar farm since 2019 but were waiting for legislation allowing community solar to pass in the state Legislature. Under community solar, residents can buy or lease a “share” in a solar project; every month, they would receive a credit on their electricity bill for the energy produced by their share. However, with no such initiative in the works, Rouse said they will allow utility companies to purchase excess energy generated by the panels.
Township officials have not issued a decision on the project. Woodcock said in his email last week he anticipates hearing from them within 45 days of the hearing being closed.