Solar farm no longer advancing

COLFAX — A solar farm project proposed to the Whitman County Planning Commission in December of last year stopped advancing in May of this year.

The solar and energy storage project through Vesper Energy, was titled Daystar Renewable Energy and was a 560-acre, 100-megawatt solar farm, with lithium-ion battery storage for five to ten acres.

Vesper Energy Community Affairs Manager Alex Rohr said that the project will no longer being advancing in Whitman County. “Utility-scale energy projects require years of research and planning to determine if a site is viable and many projects do not reach the operations stage,” he said.

Rohr said that the decision to cease Daystar Renewable Energy development was made primarily due to constraints related to transmission capacity.

“Vesper Energy seeks to deliver a positive impact through responsibly developed projects and intentional engagement with the communities in which we operate, no matter the stage of the project,” said Rohr, noting that they were proud to have contributed $16,000 to Whitman County organizations through their Community Giving program and are grateful to the Whitman County officials, residents and landowners for their engagement and partnership in the project.

Vesper Energy, a company located in Dallas, Texas, gave a presentation to the Whitman County Planning Commission on Wednesday, Dec. 6, about the plans which would have been a 560 acre 100-megawatt solar farm with lithium-ion battery storage for over five to ten acres.

Solar energy projects work through harvesting the sun and collecting energy, then connect to a substation to provide energy.

The proposed plan, Rohr said in past reports would have brought a projected $14.9 million across the county.