Foley to be home to first large-scale solar farm in Baldwin County

Published: Jun. 8, 2023 at 6:52 PM CDT

FOLEY, Ala. (WALA) - A Chicago-based energy company is investing nearly $100 million dollars in a new solar farm in Baldwin County. Hecate Energy has purchased a 620-acre turf farm in Foley to build on. Alabama Power will purchase the energy and that should happen by the end of next year.

Foley is known as The Forward City and is already home to major manufacturers in the aluminum and aerospace industries. You can now add solar power to that list. Construction of a massive solar farm will begin this fall on Craft Turf Farm property west of town. The 620-acre site will be purchased by Hecate Energy now that the city has approved a zoning change to allow it.

Chicago-based Hecate Energy to build large-scale soar farm in Foley(Hal Scheurich)

“Alabama Power was looking at seven sites from around Alabama to expand their portfolio of solar energy and this site I believe moved up in importance because of the Novelis plant and they, needing green energy,” said Foley mayor, Ralph Hellmich.

Hecate will develop 544 acres of the site into the solar farm. Solar panels will cover most of the property, generating 80 Mega Watts of power daily. According to the company, that’s enough energy to power 13,000 homes. The agreement will provide Hecate a 10-year tax abatement with the city, county and state. Baldwin County schools though, will start seeing benefits year one.

“The immediate effect of taxes will be to the Baldwin County School Board. They will receive immediate…their taxes are not abated and so, immediate benefit to the School Board of many hundreds of thousands of dollars per year,” Hellmich explained.

It will take about 120 workers about one year to build out the farm but once it’s complete, just four employees will be able to operate and maintain it.

The environmental impact on the area will be minimal and some area residents think it’s a move in the right direction.

“I think it’s great for the city,” said Rob Lumpkin. “I think any kind of structure improvement or clean energy is great for the city.”

Power captured on the solar farm will be fed to an Alabama Power distribution station adjacent to the property where it will enter the grid for widespread use.