{"id":37921,"date":"2022-11-29T11:27:01","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T16:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=37921"},"modified":"2022-11-29T11:28:10","modified_gmt":"2022-11-29T16:28:10","slug":"genesee-county-gcedc-holds-public-hearings-in-elba-and-oakfield-related-to-the-proposed-financial-incentives-for-a-500-megawatt-utility-scale-solar-project-largest-project-in-nys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/11\/29\/genesee-county-gcedc-holds-public-hearings-in-elba-and-oakfield-related-to-the-proposed-financial-incentives-for-a-500-megawatt-utility-scale-solar-project-largest-project-in-nys\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE COUNTY\/GCEDC holds public hearings in Elba and Oakfield related to the proposed financial incentives for a 500-megawatt utility scale solar project, largest project in NYS"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Public Hearing at the Elba Fire Recreation Hall on Monday afternoon\/ a second public hearing was held in Oakfield at 6:30p.m.<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Jim Krencik, the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Genesee County Economic Development Center along with GCEDC President\/CEO Steve Hyde, facilitated a public hearing to gather comments related to the proposed financial incentives for Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC on Monday afternoon at the Elba Fire Department Recreation Hall, as the GCEDC board of directors considers project agreements with the company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two citizens asked two questions during the Elba public hearing. How would things change if the Oakfield Alabama and Elba School Districts combined and what would happen if labor requirements were not met as part of the agreement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hyde says nothing would change in the project if the two school districts combined and that there is a process that vendors go through if they can’t get work locally. Vendors would have to apply to bring labor in from outside and that process is pretty heavily vetted by an experienced engineering firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Oakfield public hearing, no questions were asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Hyde, the Inflation Reduction Act Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)<\/a> has major investment tax credits and are the wind under the wings of the latest solar projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hecate Energy Cider Solar Project Hecate Energy – News<\/a> is looking to break ground in the spring of 2023 and be up and running in 2024 after going through the 94-c process through the Office of Renewable Energy Siting About Us | Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ny.gov)<\/a> created a few years ago in New York after the Article 10 process became too lengthy for solar developers Article 10 – NYSERDA<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hecate Energy Cider Solar Project is double the footprint of the Excelsior Solar Project in Byron, which is a 280 megawatt project on about 1700 acres and has yet to break ground due to a slower Article 10 process and supply chain issues in the last 1.5 years. Hyde says that project is aiming to also break ground in the spring of 2023. The process in Byron started in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GCEDC board of directors will consider final resolutions for the Hecate Energy Cider Solar Project at 4:00p.m. at their board meeting on Thursday December 1, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comments can also be submitted in written form and can be sent to the GCEDC, 99 MedTech Drive,\u00a0Suite 106, Batavia, NY 14020\u00a0or by email to\u00a0gcedc@gcedc.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Map provided by the Hecate Energy Cider Solar website<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Project Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC is a 500-megawatt utility scale solar project that would be located on 2,455 acres in the towns of Elba and Oakfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project would invest $550 million dollars to construct the solar energy system and would generate scheduled revenues totaling $73.5 million to the town of Elba, the Elba School District, the town of Oakfield, the Oakfield-Alabama School District, and Genesee County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Genesee County $13.18 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Town of Elba $19.38 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Town of Oakfield $12.92 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Elba Central School District $16.85 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Oakfield-Alabama School District $11.24 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These revenues through a payment in lieu of taxes agreement (PILOT), and related host community agreements, and are to be paid over 30 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed financial incentives for Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC are as follows\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Property tax savings $92.09 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Sales tax savings $44 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7      Mortgage tax savings $5.5 million<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An analysis of the fiscal benefits from the project are estimated to generate $22 in revenues for every $1.00 dollar of existing tax payments generated by the land where the project will be built.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Press release<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GCEDC Board also will consider final resolutions for three community solar projects totaling 10.5-megwatts of energy generation that would result in up to $2 million in payments for the various host communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n