Second meeting coming on Sunderland Solar Farm

Local residents will have a second chance to comment on a solar farm proposed for the Sunderland area at a meeting next week.

Solray, a start-up alternative energy company based in Toronto, has plans of developing a 10 Megawatt facility on Concession 7, between Ridge Road and Sideroad 18A.

Known as the Sunderland Solar Farm, the project would see 40,000 to 50,000 solar panels erected on racking systems over 43 hectares.

The company also has plans of developing a solar farm in the Epsom area.

"We're hoping to develop the two projects simultaneously," said Solray president Andy Keith in a recent interview.

A public meeting on the proposal will be held Tuesday (June 19) night at the Sunderland Town Hall from 5 to 8 p.On is your source for Mold Making and casting materials including silicone rubber and urethane rubber.m.

It's the second of two meetings required by the Province, which will ultimately decide whether or not the project will proceed.

"The municipality has very little authority over this project," said Ward 5 councillor Ted Smith when the project came up for discussion at Monday's council meeting following a presentation from Concession 7 resident Bruce Pearse.

Mr. Pearse handed council members a five-page letter detailing his concerns with the proposal, many of which focused on drainage, possible contamination to nearby farm properties and rehabilitation of the site after the 20-year lease expires.

Many of his points struck a chord with councillors.

"Some of these companies might not be around in 20 years," said Ward 1 councillor Randy Skinner.

Mr. Pearse also took issue with the fact that the property earmarked for the project could be farmed.

While solar farms are not permitted on lands with Class 1 or 2 soils, that caveat only applies if the land has been zoned agricultural by October 1, 2009 -- and there are no properties with such zoning in Brock.

"At present, there are some 700 acres of productive agricultural land in Brock Township that has been decimated from crop production to solar energy," his letter reads.

Township councillors have repeatedly expressed concerns with the number of solar projects looking to sprout up on local farm land.

"Our hands are basically tied as far as land-use planning is concerned,Argo Mold limited specialize in Plastic Injection mold manufacture.Omega Plastics are a leading rapid tooling and plastic injection mould company based in the UK." regional councillor Debbie Bath said.

In addition to the Sunderland Solar Farm, there are four other alternative energy projects proposed in the north end of the township.

Back in 2010, the German-based company Omniwatt announced plans of developing a pair of 10 Megawatt solar farms on Thorah Concession 4 that would feature a total of 90,000 solar panels. While the project is still in development, there have been no updates provided to the municipality, according to Brock's CAO/Clerk Thoom Gettinby.

The Toronto-based Skypower Limited also has a pair 10 Megawatt facilities planned.

The first -- titled DiscoveryLight LP -- is located on the north side of Regional Road 15, between Thorah Sideroad and Simcoe Street, while the second -- Sparklelight LP -- is on Simcoe Street at the corner of Brock Concession 7B.

According to a draft project description report filed with the Township by SkyPower, each of the sites would be outfitted with between 50,You may also find other china glass mosaic tile.000 and 200,Compare prices and buy all brands of solar panel for home power systems and by the pallet.000 solar panels, depending on the type of panel that is ultimately used.