HILLCREST — The Hillcrest village board will continue discussions next month on the proposed Twombly Road Solar project. Greenbacker, a New York-based company with 450 energy projects in 36 states, is seeking to renew the existing site plan for Rochelle Solar, which it acquired in 2023. The project, permitted in 2021 and extended in 2022, could begin construction in early 2026 and start operations in 2028. The panels would track the sun, and the development could generate over $4 million in local tax revenue over 25 years.
Village Trustee Dan Potter raised questions regarding how the solar arrays will be maintained, and expressed concerns about damaged panels that could lead to soil contamination.
“I’m very concerned that there is, having been a technician for many years, anything that moves will require inspection and or repair and maintenance, usually preventive maintenance, but that goes a long way to making things stay operable,” he said.
James Rodriguez, an attorney representing Greenbacker, said they would return with someone from the company next month to answer concerns from the community in depth.