A proposed solar energy development covering approximately 2,000 acres in Welch Township is drawing attention from area residents, with a public open house scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Red Wing.
The River Ray Energy Center, being developed by California-based Adapture Renewables, is proposed for land near the intersection of Highways 61 and 316 in Goodhue County. According to information distributed by a local community group, the project would have a generating capacity of approximately 300 megawatts, making it a significant utility-scale solar development.
The proposed acreage represents more than three square miles of land, although the amount that would ultimately be occupied by solar panels and supporting infrastructure has not been established.
Adapture Renewables will host an informal open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Red Wing Public Library, 225 East Avenue. The event will provide residents, neighboring property owners and other interested individuals an opportunity to speak directly with project representatives.
According to the event information, there will be no formal presentation. Attendees may stop by anytime during the two-hour gathering to ask questions and learn more about the proposal.
The proposed project involves land associated with Nick Ries and Ries Farms. A map included with an Oct. 15 news release shows a large, irregular project area primarily east of Highway 61 and south of Highway 316. The map identifies the general proposed boundaries but does not establish the final placement of solar panels, access roads, electrical equipment or other infrastructure.
The release was distributed by Mari Mellick, a Welch Township resident associated with the Hwy 316 & 61 STOP Solar Panels community group. The group was formed in August after residents learned of the proposed development.
Members of the group are encouraging residents to attend Wednesday's meeting and seek additional information about the project's potential effects on surrounding properties, agricultural operations and natural resources.
Among the concerns outlined in the release are the possible conversion of productive agricultural land, changes to the area's rural landscape, effects on wildlife and water resources, and the development's proximity to the Great River Road National Scenic Byway.
The group also wants additional information about potential impacts on wetlands, groundwater, nearby wells and geological features, including the karst formations found in portions of southeastern Minnesota. Questions have also been raised about wildlife habitat and the cultural and historical interests of the nearby Prairie Island Indian Community.
Other concerns involve the infrastructure needed to connect the proposed development to the electrical grid. A project of this size would require electrical collection equipment and a connection to the regional transmission system, although the specific connection point, potential transmission routes and whether additional easements would be needed have not been identified in the information provided.
Residents are also seeking clarification about whether the development would include battery energy storage, what safety measures would be required and how damaged or outdated equipment would be handled.
The proposal is expected to fall under the authority of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, which oversees permitting for solar energy facilities with generating capacities of 50 megawatts or more.
Minnesota lawmakers reorganized the state's energy infrastructure permitting process in 2024, with the changes taking effect in July 2025. State oversight of large solar projects existed before those changes, but the current framework establishes procedures for reviewing proposed facilities and their environmental impacts.
For projects of this size, a state site permit takes precedence over local zoning and land-use ordinances. However, the permitting process provides opportunities for public participation, including public meetings, hearings and written comments.
That means Wednesday's open house is not the final opportunity for residents to provide input. If the project moves forward through the state permitting process, additional opportunities for public participation will be available before a permit decision is made.
Environmental review is another part of the process. Project applications must address potential effects on people, land and natural resources, along with measures intended to reduce those impacts. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture also has a role when cultivated agricultural land is affected.
Long-term responsibility for the facility is another issue raised by the community group. Minnesota's solar permitting process includes requirements for decommissioning plans that address the eventual removal of equipment, restoration of the property and financial safeguards intended to prevent the costs from falling on taxpayers or landowners.
The project could also provide financial benefits to local governments. Minnesota assesses a solar energy production tax of $1.20 per megawatt-hour generated by qualifying facilities. Of that revenue, 80 percent goes to the county and 20 percent to the city or township where the facility is located.
The amount of revenue that could be generated by River Ray has not been established. That figure would depend on the facility's actual electricity production.
Adapture Renewables develops, builds, owns and operates solar energy facilities and battery storage projects throughout the United States. The Oakland, California-based company is owned by KIRKBI, the investment company associated with the Danish family that owns the LEGO Group.
The community group's release raises questions about foreign interests and agricultural land. However, the information currently available does not establish whether the proposed project would involve the sale of farmland, long-term leases or other land-use agreements.
Several significant details remain unresolved, including the final project boundaries, construction timeline, anticipated operating life, grid connection and the amount of land that would be removed from agricultural production.
Wednesday's meeting offers residents an opportunity to begin getting answers directly from the developer before the proposal advances further.
The River Ray Energy Center open house is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Red Wing Public Library, 225 East Avenue, Red Wing. The event is open to interested community members.