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CAMANCHE, Iowa — Out in rural Clinton County, some landowners are welcoming a different kind of farm onto their land. The Rock Creek Energy Center broke ground Tuesday afternoon.
The project is on 600 acres of land touching Clinton, Camanche and Clinton County. The company behind it, NextEra Energy Resources, said it will generate up to 150 megawatts. That’s enough to power about 30,000 homes. It will also pay about $300,000 a year in taxes to the county, cities and school districts.
But local officials said it will generate more than just electricity.
“The number one reason for bringing it here is we have a community that was welcoming,” Megan Murphy Salyer, lead project manager, said.
She said NextEra also picked the location for its connection to the energy grid and local governments willing to work with the company.
“But without those landowners interested, the project doesn’t happen,” Salyer said.
Keith Boysen is one of those landowners and a third generation farmer.
“Well I’m on board just because I think this is the direction our world needs to take,” Boysen said.
He said he supports green energy efforts and the preservation of the land below the solar panels.
“To remove panels and pull the pilings is a very simple process, quick to be done, and it could be returned to whatever type of food production that may be needed,” Boysen said.
Matt Parbs, vice president of community and economic development with Grow Clinton, said green energy puts the county on the map for manufacturers.
“We as Grow Clinton, we’re bringing future business to the area,” Parbs said. “The number one thing they’re asking about is utilities and power.”
Clinton County Supervisor Jim Irwin helped create the solar ordinance back in 2022. He said one of the concerns he heard about this project was that power would be sent off to Chicago. But Midwestern provider Alliant Energy, which does not serve Illinois, has committed to purchasing the power.
“That is a huge, huge positive outcome for Clinton county,” Irwin said.
For Boysen, the final destination and money from the lease agreement aren’t too important.
“Wherever that power can flow to where it’s needed, if it’s a surplus, is beneficial to the state of Iowa and to our country,” Boysen said.
