Second Solar Farm with Battery Storage Proposed in Green Garden

Article Summary: A second, separate commercial solar project has been proposed in Green Garden Township by Turning Point Energy, adding to residents’ growing concerns about farmland being converted for energy production. The new 72-acre proposal, located at Stunkle and LaGrange Roads, would include battery storage and is projected for 2026.

Turning Point Solar Proposal Key Points:

• Project Details: The facility would cover approximately 72 acres with 14,000 solar panels and include a battery storage component consisting of eight 20-foot trailers.

• Location: The proposed site consists of two triangular parcels at the intersection of Stunkle and LaGrange Roads.

• Developer: The project is proposed by Turning Point Energy, the same company behind a previous solar installation in the township.

GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP — As residents mobilize against one massive solar project, Green Garden Township officials revealed that a second, unrelated solar farm is being proposed by a different developer.

Trustee Ralph Deetsz reported during Monday’s board meeting that he and Trustee Monroe Striggow met with representatives from Turning Point Energy on August 28 to discuss a new solar facility with battery storage. The project, nicknamed “Turning Point Two” by Deetsz, would be located on two triangular parcels totaling 72 acres at Stunkle and LaGrange Roads.

The proposal includes approximately 14,000 solar panels and a battery storage system housed in eight 20-foot trailers. Deetsz said the representative, Scott Osborne, indicated the project is planned for 2026 and an application has not yet been filed with the county.

This new proposal is entirely separate from the 600-megawatt facility proposed by Earthwise, which has become a major point of contention in the community. Turning Point Energy previously developed another solar farm in the township.

Deetsz noted that the new project’s location on Stunkle Road could be a factor in its approval, as the board has previously expressed a desire to limit development along that corridor. The proposal adds another layer to the ongoing debate over land use and renewable energy development in the rural township.