Large solar garden planned near Lester Prairie

A solar garden complex is being planned on 40 acres of land in Winsted Township, about two miles from Lester Prairie
Geronimo Energy, on behalf of Andromeda Community Solar Gardens, LLC, appeared before the McLeod County Planning Commission seeking a conditional use permit on Wednesday, Dec. 23.
Tena Rytel of Geronimo Energy said that the solar garden will ultimately provide power to Xcel Energy’s grid. Xcel was directed by the 2013 legislature to develop “green” energy sources.
There will be five “gardens” located on the 40-acre site.
Rytel said the solar gardens are considered a “low impact” development because the panels are virtually noiseless, are built low to the ground and there are no odors.
Posts for the panels are vibrated into the ground, so there is no concrete work, except for a pad under a electrical inverter, which collects the energy and transfers it to the grid.
In addition, Geronimo plans to use pollinator friendly plantings around the panels, to fence in the garden, and to use shrubbery and trees to screen it.
Rytel said there should be no issues with glare off the panels. New technology makes the panels as absorbant as possible.
“Anything reflected off a panel is loss energy,” said Rytel. “They are designed to absorb as much light as possible.”

For more, see the Dec. 30 print edition of The Chronicle.