The Orange County Board of Commissioners is moving forward with a plan that will allow a solar farm to be built on a 52-acre patch of land off of Highway 70 West.

The plan was made by solar energy companies Calvert Energy and ESA Renewables. Calvert Energy CEO Brian Quinlan presented the plan to the board Monday night. Quinlan says the companies need approval of a special permit to allow for the zoning of the solar panels.

“It’s been reviewed fairly extensively by both the clearing house at the state level with a variety of different departments here at the county level.”

Quinlan also says the 52-acres of land are the perfect type to develop this type of solar project.

“The site is surrounded by a lot of wetlands and water features, which makes it a difficult development from a higher-intensity perspective. But for lower intensity development, like a solar project, it works very well.”

But even though the land is good for the solar panels, Commissioner Barry Jacobs asked at the hearing whether the solar panels would be bad for animals already living on the land.

Chris Sandifer is an engineering consultant for solar farm siting. He attended the hearing to answer questions and provide testimony. He says nothing would be harmed.

“No sir. I’m not aware of any study that shows that it causes wildlife a problem.”

Sandifer also says the panels won’t harm people either.

“There’s no smell; there’s no dust; there’s no radiation; these panels use no nuclear radiation.”

Quinlan says the point of the solar farm is to do good and not bad to all who live in Orange County.

“Solar projects are safe for the community. They develop their power at a low-voltage level. All of the wiring and components are underwriter laboratory approved, the design is approved by the county, we have to get a construction permit to make sure that we’re meeting all the local codes.”

If approved, nce the design and construction process are started, the plan is expected to take about six months to install once the design and construction process has started.

Related Stories
‹
On Air Today: Orange County's Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist
Orange County's Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist is now open! You have until 5 p.m. Friday, October 2 to apply.
Judge Acquits UNC Campus Shooter After Experts Agree on Tailei Qi's Insanity
Roughly 37 months after a campus shooting left a UNC professor dead, the shooter is acquitted from his murder charges on an insanity plea.
Orange County Reports Rabid Skunk After Altercation in Mebane
Orange County Animal Services has confirmed a positive rabies test on a skunk seen in Mebane Tuesday. According to OCAS, an initial report was made after the skunk had an altercation with two dogs in the area around Whitaker Road, southeast of downtown Mebane. The skunk was then retrieved for testing, which confirmed the presence […]
Orange County: Land Use Retreat, Joint Meeting, Work Session
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, September 16, discussing county news and events. She recapped several meetings the county commissioners had in the past week, including a retreat on the Land Use 2050 Plan, a joint meeting with the Chapel Hill Town Council on a zoning request for a church, and the board's regular work session. She also previewed upcoming county events and more.
NCDOT: I-85 Ramp to I-40 in Orange County to Close for 2 Months
NCDOT construction crews are preparing to close the exit ramp for Exit 163 along I-85 South — a ramp west of Hillsborough that loops vehicles over the interstate and redirects them onto I-40 East.
Local Government Meetings: September 14-18, 2026
This week in local government: a greenway network in Chapel Hill, and busing concerns and elementary school redistricting for CHCCS.
Orange County: Preview of Work Session, Retreat, and Business Meeting
Chair of the Orange County Commissioner Jean Hamilton spoke with 97.9 The hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, September 9, discussing county news and events. She previewed several upcoming gatherings of the Orange County Commissioners over the next week, which includes a Thursday work session, a Monday retreat and a regular Tuesday meeting. She also previewed upcoming events and more.
What's Open or Closed on Labor Day? Holiday to Impact Local Government Services
Monday marks the observance of Labor Day, which is meant to celebrate the contribution of workers and employees across the United States. With that, the local governments in Orange County will be giving many of their employees the day off, which will affect certain local government services. Ahead of the holiday on Monday, Sep. 7, […]
The Morning News: Orange County Honors Jamezetta Bedford, Michael Lombardi Resigns
In today's news: Orange County names its new crisis diversion facility after the late County Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford.
'A Beautiful and Lasting Tribute': New Orange County Crisis Diversion Center Named in Jamezetta Bedford's Honor
Jamezetta Bedford's Orange County commissioner colleagues recently dedicated the future crisis diversion facility in her honor and memory.
›