By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR Township residents left the Mercer County Community College Conference Center last Friday unsatisfied and fired up after the college’s unsuccessful public forum to allay concerns regarding a planned solar farm project.
The college invited representatives from SunLight General Capital, the company funding the project, and Phil Miller, the executive director of the Mercer County Improvement Authority, to provide further information on the project and answer questions.
The $40 million solar farm project aims to plant a 9.5 megawatt ground-mounted solar array on 45 acres of West Windsor farm land.
The project is expected to save the college $15 million over 15 years, generate jobs and reduce carbon dioxide, but residents continue to worry about the environmental, financial and safety impacts on their community.
”This is the third public meeting about this exciting venture that Mercer Community College is undertaking as we prepare more students to work in green industries and renewable energy,” said Pat Donohue, the college president.
Ms. Donohue was unable to stay due to a scheduling conflict.
The representatives kick started the forum by tackling the financial structure of the project, explaining that $29.6 million in bonds were issued to support the deal with the rest being funded by SunLight’s capital.
Although many citizens are worried about the possibility of having to foot the bill if SunLight goes bankrupt, Bill Zachary, a financial adviser at SunLight, said they built several safeguards in the funding process as cushions to ensure West Windsor taxpayers won’t pay out of pocket.
For example, the company has secured $4 million in cash ready to go in pre-funded payments for two years and set aside a cash security amount of $3 million.
Stacey Hughes, the principal at SunLight, said even if Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) went down to zero, the payments would still be made.
SRECs are like coupons that allow generators of renewable energy to sell credits to utility businesses who need to buy them to comply with government regulations. These credits can be traded and sold like stocks.
Ms. Hughes acknowledged that SREC prices have dipped dramatically from roughly $300 from when they first won the project bid to the current $165 value. However, she said the company expected price fluctuations and that it wouldn’t affect the project’s completion.
”We structured it so it as secure as possible so that the system will pay for itself without resorting to taxpayers,” said Mr. Zachary. However, Ms. Hughes admitted the slight possibility the county will have to resort to its guarantee that would make residents responsible for the project’s funding.
”Could things happen that the guarantee would happen? Yes. Are they extremely remote? Yes,” said Ms. Hughes. “There’s no such thing as a 100 percent in everything.”
Once the forum gave way to the question and answer portion, the West Windsor residents took control of the show. The packed conference room cheered and clapped as several residents fired criticisms ranging from the project’s potential run off and drainage impacts to the manner in how the college handled requests for a courtesy review.
”We requested a courtesy review at the planning board level and we haven’t heard at all if you were going to come in,” said Councilwoman Linda Geevers. “I don’t know why you’re afraid to at least give an up or down answer.”
Although a review at the municipal level was originally planned, officials at the forum said ultimately it was decided a review would only be given at the county planning board level and that a courtesy review in West Windsor didn’t seem meaningful.
”It would have been meaningful to the residents of West Windsor,” interrupted Ms. Geevers.
Steven Goodbody, the head of engineering at SunLight, emphasized that the company continues to work with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to make sure all environmental issues are addressed and prevented.
”It is inevitable and expected that we will, should and must work hand-in-hand with the DEP to fulfill every obligation there is under statuary New Jersey regulations,” explained Mr. Goodbody.

