The Challenge
Logansport Municipal Utility (LMU) had retired its 100-year-old coal plant and desired to begin its transition to renewable energy. Because the City of Logansport had never installed a large scale solar plant, it was concerned about the cost and how it would affect the community and the surrounding area.
Our Solar SOlution
Financed by a power purchase agreement (PPA), Inovateus designed and developed a solar installation that would reduce LMU’s carbon emissions, help to stabilize energy costs for LMU’s customers through a 30-year power purchase agreement financed by Alchemy Renewable Energy. The PPA allows LMU to purchase the clean solar generation at a fixed kilowatt-hour rate with no upfront capital costs. To help maintain the neighborhood around the solar park, Inovateus designed a 45-foot vegetation buffer around the solar array with native Northern Indiana trees, plants, and more than 100 tulip trees donated by the community. Inovateus also planted a pollinator seed mix under and around the solar panels instead of traditional ground cover, supporting local agriculture.
The Result
Logansport’s Mayor Chris Martin said in the launch press release, “We are proud to work with Inovateus Solar to bring the first ever solar energy project to Logansport. How exciting to be a part of pioneering this clean, alternative energy source right here in our community that will help curb LMU energy costs for our consumers. The creation of a bee and butterfly habitat will also be a great environmentally friendly addition to the city’s west side!”
