Lone Oak
Solar Energy Center Invenergy Home

About The Project

Current Efforts

Based in the Midwest, Invenergy is America’s leading, privately held sustainable energy solutions provider. Situated in Northern Madison County near existing energy infrastructure, Invenergy’s Lone Oak Solar Energy Center will generate more than just clean, renewable energy.

Invenergy is actively working with local government and property owners in the area to bring its expertise in renewable development to Madison County.

Economic Benefits

  • $160 Million total in economic benefit to Madison County

  • $100 million direct investment in Madison County once the project is built

  • $58 million invested in local economy over the life of the project

  • $24.2 million in new property tax revenues for Madison County; supporting local schools, libraries and critical county services

  • 150 full-time construction jobs & two full-time operations jobs

  • Proposed $1 million payment to Madison County for local economic development and other County initiatives

  • $14 million paid to Frankton-Lapel Community Schools ($400,000 annually)

Environmental Benefits

  • Native grasses will be planted as a cover crop throughout the solar farm. This will support pollinator species and improve drainage and reduce water runoff.

  • Lone Oak will remove emissions equivalent to 1.3 million cars over its lifetime.

  • Lone Oak solar farm is a temporary use. The land will be returned to agricultural use at the end of the project life.

Lone Oak Details

  • Lone Oak Solar will comply with National Electric Code standards, local fire codes, and any other relevant safety standards.
  • Lone Oak Solar will preserve drain connections through project engineering design and construction planning. The project will comply with the Madison County Drainage Ordinance.
  • Lone Oak is committed to being a good neighbor. That is why we have committed to over a dozen self-imposed conditions. These conditions range from extensive landscaping to trainings for local first-responders.
  • The project does not draw on County services

Tax Abatement

The Case for Lone Oak Tax Abatement:

  • To be built, the project needs to compete financially with other energy projects in Indiana and surrounding states

  • Property taxes are one of the operating costs that significantly affect the cost of energy

  • Tax Abatements have been granted numerous times within Madison County, the State of Indiana, and throughout the Midwest

  • Tax abatement is a common economic development tool used by governments to attract investment and not unique to Lone Oak

  • Many projects, including all large-scale operating solar and wind projects in Indiana, received tax abatements

  • Wildcat Wind Farm, in northern Madison County, received approval in 2011 of the same tax abatement schedule requested by Lone Oak, as did the IMPA solar park north of Anderson on Madison Avenue


Lone Oak Tax Abatement Details:

  • Standard 10-year tax phase-in. Taxes gradually introduced at a rate of 10% each year.

  • Current real property taxes paid by participating landowners will continue to be made and distributed to the taxing districts (underlying real estate cannot be abated)

  • Lone Oak is only eligible for the tax abatement once $100 million minimum investment is made

  • No public money involved or utilized

  • $4,000,000 in property taxes paid during the ten-year phase-in period

  • A proposed Economic Development Agreement payment of $7,083 per MW ($850,000 if the project is 120 MW) after the project is operational

  • Total taxes paid on utility and distributable property over 35 years - $26.4 Million. This is in addition to property taxes on underlying real estate.

  • An opportunity to turn a loss of taxable value into a gain across all 5 taxing districts represented in the project: Frankton-Lapel School Corp, Alexandria School Corp, Pipe Creek Township, Monroe Township, Madison County

  • No draw on County services like roads, schools, sewer, water, etc.

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Environmental
Benefits
 

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Environmental Benefits

To avoid and minimize impacts to wildlife and other natural resources, we work with state and federal agencies and other interested stakeholders to site, build, and operate our facilities responsibly. The cornerstone of that effort is our commitment to act in accordance with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Land-based Solar Energy Guidelines, which includes robust pre-construction wildlife and habitat surveys, early and often communication with wildlife agencies, and operational monitoring to ensure risk to wildlife is minimized.

Impact on
Roads
 

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Impact on County Roads

Local roads and infrastructure will be left in the same or better condition than they were prior to their use for the construction or on-going maintenance and repair of the wind project. Invenergy will enter into road agreements with the host town and county to put this commitment in writing.

Land
 

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Land

Solar farms have a light impact on farmland. Topsoil is left in place during construction and the for the life of the project. When the project is decommissioned, the farmland will be returned to production after a long rest for the soil, much like the Conservation Reserve Program of the USDA, which has been resting farmland across the US for decades.