Project Overview
Location
Located in Pilesgrove Township, Salem County NJ, the proposed site for the Nichomas Run Solar Farm runs to the east and west of County Home Road to the northwest of Route 45.
Project Site
The Nichomus Run Solar Farm will generate a peak output of approximately 150 Megawatts of clean power. On an annual basis, the generation is equivalent to the demand from 24,000 NJ homes.
Description
The project will be comprised of rows of solar panels that track east to west to follow the sun throughout the day. DC power generated by the panels will be collected and fed into inverters that transform the power into AC. In turn the inverters are fed into a central substation to be located adjacent to the existing transmission line.
Compatible Land Use
Dakota Power is proposing to manage the vegetation (native grasses and pollinator friendly plants) under the panels with grazing sheep. This arrangement has a number of advantages. First it effectively manages the vegetation within the solar farm which would otherwise require mechanical mowing. Second, grazing allows the land to remain in agricultural. The synergies of solar and sheep grazing can augment the financial viability raising sheep that might otherwise be marginal. The panels provide shading for the animals and enhances moisture retention enhancing biomass production without irrigation. The practice avoids the need for fertilizers and herbicides and over time enhances general soil quality.
Schedule
The Nichomus Run solar project is expected to operational in late 2021 or 2022.