Energy farm starting in Tracy

Doug and Gary Kass are making their parents proud and at the same time helping the environment.

The Kass brothers are in the process of starting a solar garden on their sprawling acerage just west of Tracy.

“It’s a renewable resource of energy, it helps the environment and we can continue to farm the land,” said Gary Kass.

“We’re doing something here that’s benefitting society, environmentally friendly and I think our parents would be very happy with what we’re doing here,” he added.

The land, 116 acres in all, met the 10 criteria that Minneapolis-based solar power producer US Solar was looking for to start a solar garden. US Solar is a retail electricity service that provides services that allow customers to purchase renewable energy credits produced by solar equipment; and allows customers to purchase renewable energy as part of a competitive retail energy market.

“We met all the criteria,” Gary said. “It’s environmentally friendly, renewable power — and the whole idea is that it’s another use for the land other than farming,” he added.

The project will be known as the Kass Community Solar Garden. At its peak, it will produce about one megawatt of power, which can be made available to Excel customers.

“This is like the fifth solar farm in the country,” said Gary Kaas. The Lyon County Board has approved the project without any objections. The project has the potential of bringing electricity to 225 residential homes.

Contact Us

The Minneota Mascot
Address: 201 N. Jefferson
Minneota, MN 56264

Phone:(507) 872-6492