Creston solar field in testing

An additional source of electricity may be part of Creston and Union County by the end of the year.

Alliant Energy’s 50 megawatt solar power field east of Creston is being tested. If all goes well, solar rays absorbed the acres of solar panels will create electricity. The project is part of 300 acres east of the Howard and Osage street intersection on Creston’s east side. Not every acre will be used for solar power generation. About 76 acres are to be used for the related infrastructure.

“Construction activities are nearing completion and we await final testing and commissioning work before we can place the project into service. During this process we ensure the facility performs in accordance with its designed intent,” according to a statement provided by Alliant. The 90,000 solar panels are designed to power about 11,000 homes annually.

Although solar power happens year round, Alliant is expecting the Creston site to be most effective during the summer months.

“During the summer, the time of peak demand generally coincides with peak solar energy production. That allows us and other utilities to provide the reliable service customers expect,” Alliant stated. Power generated will also be included in Alliant’s grid.

Alliant is also noting what happens within the solar panel field itself. Alliant is part of agrivoltaics, crop or livestock production on land shared with solar panels.

“We work with Iowa State University that will advance knowledge in this field. As renewable energy grows, it’s important to find opportunities for these projects to benefit people beyond just providing renewable electricity,” said Anne Kimber, director of ISU’s Electric Power Research Center. “There’s good work to be done on this front, and we hope this research and demonstration will help identify the potential for communities to benefit from agrivoltaics.”

Alliant has a 10-acre project with ISU south of Ames that has tracking and nontracking panels at differing heights. Researchers use them to study the interrelated effects of energy, crop and beekeeping production. Alliant has a similar operation in Wisconsin with the University of Wisconsin.