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A new solar farm being commissioned Monday will provide enough energy to power about 120 homes. The project created by Hoosier company Merrell Bros. takes over an abandoned landfill in Speedway.
Johnson-Melloh handled all aspects of the project that has significant environmental benefits. The field will prevent approximately 1.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel generation. This equivalent to removing 3,500 cars from the road, or the same as planting around 4,500 acres of trees, according to Merrell Bros.
Jeff Cole with Johnson-Melloh says local tax credits have helped fuel other area projects.
"We've been able to get the cost down significantly," Cole said, "and that is the reason why you are seeing more and more of these systems being installed today."
Merrell Bros. says that the solar field will produce more energy than the company uses. The power stays local, being distributed by Indianapolis Power and Light.
The City of Speedway is incurring no costs for this project, and instead is receiving lease income for the property on which the solar array sits.
Earlier this month the largest airport based solar farm was commissioned at the Indianapolis International Airport.
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