Minnesota could see huge expansion of solar from mega farms in permitting

Each of those solar farms would be capable of producing at least 100 megawatts of electricity, as much as the Chisago County array. Several are far larger. That includes the Iron Pine Solar project in Kettle River Township under development by Massachusetts-based Swift Current Energy, which would serve roughly 45,000 homes after building 2,200 acres of solar panels, an array that would be almost the size of White Bear Lake.

Those projects alone would be enough to significantly boost solar in the state. But they will join at least nine major solar projects approved by the PUC since 2021, though developers haven’t started construction on most yet.

Scott Groux is lead developer for the Birch Coulee project, a solar farm in Renville County proposed by by Virginia-based AES Corporation. AES filed an initial permit application with the PUC in July.

Groux said several factors are making solar a better business proposition, including tax credits from the federal Inflation Reduction Act, new power lines under development and Minnesota’s 2040 deadline for an energy transition away from fossil fuels.

“100% carbon free, that creates a demand for these kind of projects,” Groux said. “The cost of projects going down, the IRA tax credits that are available, these make these projects more feasible.”