Charlottesville energy company is proposing to build a solar farm on approximately 650 acres in southeast Albemarle County off Secretarys Road.
Hexagon Energy, a local clean energy development firm, is seeking a permit from the county to build a utility-scale solar panel project, which it is calling Woodridge Solar. The firm says the project, if approved, would produce enough electricity to power more than 25,000 homes during its 35-year lifespan.
The company is applying for a special-use permit from Albemarle to build the 138 megawatt capacity solar energy installation on about 650 acres of a 2,300-acre property that has been industrially timbered.
The property is owned by J D Land Holdings, L.C. and has historically been used for timbering planted pine over the last 80 years.
The application was submitted Monday, and a community meeting has not yet been scheduled. Albemarle staff have not yet started their review of the project, and no date has been set yet for the Planning Commission meeting. Ultimately, the commission will provide a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, which has the final say.