Mineral Basin Solar is a 402 MWac project sited on reclaimed coal mine sites in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, making it the largest solar facility in Pennsylvania and one of the largest solar facilities in the United States to be sited on former mine land.
Construction of the project could begin as soon as summer 2024 and the project is scheduled to be online by the second half of 2026. Once operational, energy and RECs will be delivered to the New York Control Area and Swift Current will remain the long-term owner and operator of the solar plant.
“The Mineral Basin Solar project is a game-changing opportunity to bring the new energy economy to the very Pennsylvania coalfields that powered the industrial development of our Nation,” said US Senator Bob Casey. “This project is an important step in demonstrating that Clearfield County and our rural communities will help light the way to our Nation's economic future.”
Eric Lammers, Swift Current Energy Co-founder and CEO said, “Clearfield County and Goshen and Girard Townships have contributed to the energy economy in the form of coal mining for generations. The development, construction, and operation of the Mineral Basin Solar project will continue the community's leadership in energy production and show how former mine sites can be innovatively repurposed at scale for a new and restorative purpose in the nation's energy landscape.”
Lammers added, “Support of Senator Casey and his office has been vital to ensure viability of development of renewable energy on reclaimed and abandoned mine lands in Pennsylvania and throughout Appalachia. “We look forward to continuing working with Senator Casey and local leaders to ensure the execution of this project and other projects like it that bring jobs and new source of revenue to energy communities.”
The construction of Mineral Basin Solar will create more than 450 direct full-time construction jobs. Additionally, Mineral Basin Solar will contribute millions of dollars into the community, both through tax revenue and direct community benefits programs. The greenhouse gas emissions avoided as a result of this solar project will be equivalent to removing nearly 80,000 gas-powered cars from the road each year.
Swift Current has partnered with Clearfield County Career and Technology Center and Clearly Ahead Development to develop renewable energy workforce training opportunities. Additionally, Mineral Basin Solar is also engaging the communities served by the Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board in Western New York. The Mineral Basin Solar workforce and community benefits plan aims to increase opportunities for rural communities.
In addition to Mineral Basin Solar, Swift Current is developing more than 1,000 MW of solar and storage capacity on reclaimed coal mines throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 2016, Swift Current has commercialized more than 2.5 GW of renewable energy projects.
