The Little Rock Board of Directors approved a resolution Tuesday that allows the city manager to contract with Sun Hog Solar, LLC for a 4.9 megawatt solar project. This vote marked the first step in a process for Little Rock to own a solar array that could one day provide the majority of the power used by city government.
If an agreement on construction can be struck before Sept. 30, Little Rock can lock in a rate deal until June 1, 2040. The clock is ticking.
The resolution did not include financials or potential locations, and the board will have to vote later to approve the cost. Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said four potential city-owned locations were being scouted, but he didn’t provide further details on the locales. Scott also said the solar project aligns with his administration’s plan to reach 100% clean energy by 2030.
After the solar plant is up and running for one year, 40% of the construction cost is expected to be refunded by the federal government through a tax credit.
Director Capi Peck spoke in favor of the development and gave kudos to the city’s sustainability team. Director Lance Hines expressed concern about the longevity of the array and asked for reassurances that the city will have proper warranty protections in place. The short answer to Hines’ inquiry was yes, but Scott said he’d get the details at a later time.
Sun Hog Solar registered as a business in Little Rock in 2015, and David McDaniel is listed as its organizer. Not much information is out there about the company on its own, though it appears to be a construction arm of Scenic Hill Solar, a Little Rock company that has seen several large solar projects come to fruition.
When it’s all said and done, the solar array is expected to provide 70% of Little Rock city government’s electricity needs. At that rate, about $27 million would be saved over the next two decades, according to an estimate provided by the city.
Pulaski County recently powered up a solar array built under a power-purchase agreement, in which one entity commits to buying its electricity from another entity that owns the facility. Unlike Pulaski County’s arrangement, the city of Little Rock would actually own its array. The city’s solar array would, however, be about the same size as the one Pulaski County is pulling from. The county’s 4.7 megawatt solar array takes up about 40 acres and is expected to meet about 90% of county government’s electricity needs.
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