Solar project offers opportunities for generations

For generations, my family has farmed land in rural Linn County. As my wife and I look toward retirement, we wondered what the next chapter would look like for our farmstead. About this same time my wife and I were presented with the opportunity to participate in a renewable energy project.

We discovered that this project — a solar array that would generate clean energy — offers benefits that extend beyond just power generation. The project would provide the opportunity for tired soil to regenerate. It would create a habitat for wildlife and pollinators. The project and its native prairie grasses would become a filter for water runoff to protect rivers and streams. And it would allow our farm to stay in the family for the next generation.

For decades we’ve been harvesting crops, pushing the envelope on yields by adding chemicals to the soil. Now we will harvest a new crop, solar energy, allowing nature to rejuvenate the land we call home.

Naysayers claim agriculture and solar generation are not compatible when in truth they form a natural partnership. Farmers rely on the sun to grow beans and corn, with much of that corn used for ethanol to power vehicles. Now they will use the power of the sun to provide clean energy for homes and communities. My wife and I are proud to be participating in the Duane Arnold solar project, and the opportunities it offers the next generations of my family.

Lee Lewis

Palo