YODER – The Goshen Solar Project is a large solar energy facility preparing for construction. This project is planned to be located approximately 10 miles southwest of Yoder. Ownership of Goshen Solar, LLC is divided equally between Cowboy Energy, LLC and Greenvolt Power Renewables, LLC. 

“The solar park in Wyoming will help this state and the U.S. accelerate the all-important need to diversify and increase our energy sources,” according to a press release announcing the partnership between Cowboy Energy and Greenvolt Power. “This joint venture brings together a combined team with a long history and solid track record in developing renewable energy projects in North America, Latin America and Europe.”

This facility will be built on 1,227 acres of privately leased pasture ground. The pasture ground is owned by Nancy Otto. This solar energy generation facility is expected to generate up to 165 megawatts of electricity.

The project area can be accessed by traveling southwest on Highway 152 for approximately eight and a half miles to the point the route turns into County Road 44. Then continue west on County Road 44 for approximately six miles to the intersection of County Road 15. Finally, travel south on County Road 15 for approximately 0.75 miles to the northwest boundary of the project.

Goshen County will enjoy many benefits from the addition of this facility, including new jobs during construction and permanent jobs after its construction, a significant increase in sales tax and other tax revenues once construction starts, sustainable and quiet green energy and significant income in property tax.

“The solar panels and [other pieces] will come out of Canada, but the preliminary plan is to bring those panels in on the railroad into Yoder and have Dietzler Trucking move them,” Otto told the Telegram. “If we do it that way, Goshen County gets the sales tax because it was delivered to Goshen County. If it were to be delivered to like Cheyenne and then trucked here, the sales tax would go to them.”

According to the projections for the major Goshen County tax revenues for the Goshen Solar Project, the materials and equipment for the project are expected to cost $154,692,147. At 5.25% sales and use tax rate, it will bring in $8,121,338 in a one-time sales and use tax revenue. Out of that revenue, $4,336,794 will go to the state of Wyoming, $1,616,146 to the Goshen County government, $1,811,058 to the city of Torrington, $129,941 to Lingle, $121,820 to LaGrange, $64,971 to Fort Laramie and $40,607 to Yoder. 

In addition, throughout the project’s 30-year economic life, it will bring in a total amount of $35,003,712 in property tax revenue. Out of that total revenue, the Goshen County government will receive a $5,985,635 share, special districts will receive a $2,940,312 share and education will receive a $26,077,766 share. During its first year, $1,944,651 will be collected in property tax revenue, with the Goshen County government receiving a $332,535 share, special districts receiving $163,351 and education receiving $1,448,765. 

“[The tax revenue] is beneficial to the county, especially in an area that has had kind of a run of bad luck,” Mark Deibert, a member of the Rocky Mountain Energy Services team providing aid with preparing the application, said. At one time, Torrington had an ethanol plant and a sugar factory, which have since closed.

“There isn’t a whole lot [in Goshen County] to assist with offsetting the costs associated with running day-to-day business for the county and municipalities,” he continued.

With these figures in mind, this facility could potentially provide some monetary relief to the county.

The site will create 10 full-time job positions. It will also bring in 20 people for one month every six months for electrical maintenance and 40 people for one month every six months for equipment maintenance.

“We’ve already talked with the Cobblestone and other motels, and they think it’s a great idea,” Otto said.

This project’s goal is not to overtake the oil and coal industry.

“I’ve done a lot of oil and gas with a similar permitting process,” Deibert said. “The way I look at this is that we’re not replacing any traditional energy sources, like coal, oil and gas. Solar is just another kind of tool in the toolbox, so to speak, to supplement the tax base and revenue of the state, help with the general fund, etc. I think it’s more along the lines of augmenting the vast energy resources that are in the state.”

“Our first lease on our place was in 1909,” Otto said. “We’ve tried to drill oil. Goshen County just is not a prime spot.”

Wyoming is number six in the nation in terms of solar radiation; because of this, it is an ideal place for solar power plants. 

“The sunshine is here; we get it almost every day,” Deibert said. “We have the technology to capture that energy source; we might as well utilize it.”

The original company that invested in this project was Cowboy Energy from Sheridan. This company was recently joined by Greenvolt Power when they bought a 50% share of the project. 

“We leased to this company (Cowboy Energy) because they were from Wyoming and they had a good plan,” Otto explained. Both companies and the selected managing member and project manager involved in this project bring a significant amount of experience to the table. 

Otto said Hezy Ram, the managing member, and Paul Stroud, the project manager, have experience in energy projects. Ram has 20 years of experience in the development and financing of U.S. Geothermal projects. Stroud has 40 years of experience in project development on a global basis, including various projects from coal bed methane, natural gas, geothermal and solar.

The Yoder site is an ideal site for the project.

The power generated from the project will tie into an existing transmission line, that currently runs through the location, operated by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Associated, Inc. This will alleviate the need for additional overhead transmission lines. 

“The transmission lines that run through our place make it an ideal spot to put the solar energy because they can put the receivers directly right up into those power lines,” Otto said. 

“With a project like this, you have to get in the queue with the power companies, and we’re already in that queue,” Otto continued. “Which means we’re way ahead of any other projected projects. We’re already selling power even before it’s done. Wyrulec has already committed to buying a certain amount of power.” 

Solar energy is less disruptive than wind energy. Solar panels are short, quiet and stationary.

“Solar panels are quiet; there are no little humming noises like wind turbines,” Otto said. “It’s sustainable green energy, so it’s not using anything up. It doesn’t tear up the ground. The grass will still be there.”

In most cases, sheep are brought in, either by the company or the landowner, to graze the pasture grass around and under the panels.

Also, the panels can tilt if needed. This means that in the case of hailstorms, the panels can be tilted to minimize damage.

Solar panels are recyclable.

“These panels should go for about 25 years before they have to be replaced,” Otto told the Telegram. “Wind turbines have to be replaced every five or 10 years. Also, the panels are completely recycled. They’re ground up and made into new panels. We don’t have to have a dump site like wind turbines.”

“That’s the nice thing about solar panels,” Deibert said. “There’s a recycling facility, I believe, in San Diego. The panels will be shipped there, and new ones will be brought in. The old ones will be sent off to be refurbished and put back into service. There won’t be any impacts to the local landfills, like with the Casper landfill filling up with wind turbine blades.”

Wyoming Industrial Council is the regulatory authority that reviews the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of planned industrial development facilities before making a decision on the issuance of a permit. The council ensures that all facilities are in fulfillment of the Wyoming Industrial Siting Act (WISA) defined in W.S. 35-12-109.

“The initial meeting with WISA was on Oct. 13, 2022,” Otto said. “They’ve been doing the environmental surveys, dealing with sage grouse, antelope, archaeology and everything.”

Otto said they have tried to do a few open houses this winter, one in January and one in April, but the weather has not cooperated. They have already started the permit process and have been involved in communications with the appropriate agencies. After getting approval from the county, they plan on submitting the final WISA application in July 2023. If everything goes well, they hope to start construction on the project in December 2023 and have it completed by March 2025.

“The thing that’s holding us up right now is the Goshen County Planning Committee,” Otto explained. “There hasn’t really been any solar or wind regulations here. A few years ago, apparently, somebody was trying to put in some wind energy here, but they didn’t.”

“With the windmills, they have to have a big setback away from the road because if a windmill fell over, it could fall on the road,” Otto continued. “They were trying to use the same setbacks for the solar, but there’s not the same issue. Our project is set up to go pretty close to the road, but it’s out in the boonies. The setbacks could really harm the project.”

The Goshen County Planning Committee has to approve rules and regulations for the project. In May, the committee will be holding a meeting to make these decisions. At this time, the exact details of the meeting have not been announced.