By Allison Musante, Staff Writer
PLAINSBORO The Plainsboro Preserve, a location of the New Jersey Audubon Society, is preparing to move along with a solar array project.
The preserve is planning to install four solar arrays on about 17,000-square-feet to generate about 90 kilowatts of power, according to Plainsboro’s director of planning and zoning, Les Varga.
”They’re hoping to generate enough to save the center about $10,000 a year in energy costs,” he said.
The array is composed of solar panels fixed to a frame-type structure, which will be about one or two feet off the ground and tilted upwards toward the sun. At its highest point, the panels will stand about nine to ten feet tall, Mr. Varga said, and will each be about 190 feet long.
”It’s my understanding that the Audubon is planning to use the project as part of an educational program as well, where they can take folks and show them what the array is, explain the power savings and how they’re promoting clean energy in addition to saving some money on electric bills,” Mr. Varga said.
Because the Preserve is township-owned land, the decision to permit solar installation will belong to the Township Committee. The agreement itself will be between New Jersey Audubon and the provider, Morristown-based Clean Energy USA.
”The committee is in the process of deferring the project to the planning board and (Audubon) is drafting a lease agreement for the committee to look at,” Mr. Varga said.
The planning board will likely discuss the plan at its July 18 meeting and will likely appear before the committee in August, Mr. Varga said.
This is not the first solar project in Plainsboro, Mr. Varga said. Firmenich Inc., a perfume and flavor company on Plainsboro road, has a solar array on its parking deck. Munich Rea, an insurance company on College Road, has a current application with the planning board for a solar project on its parking deck as well.
”We’ve also been approached by a couple of other large corporations who are interested in doing solar projects, but it’s a little premature to discuss the specifics,” Mr. Varga said. “But it says a lot that more large companies are thinking about it and the use is becoming much more mainstream.”
Eric Stiles, the chief operating officer and vice president of conservation and stewardship for New Jersey Audubon, did not return calls for comment by press time.
The Plainsboro Preserve is 1,000 acres of open space and natural habitat off Scotts Corner Road. It houses a diversity of bird and plant species and provides public educational programming.

