A solar project strong enough to power 800 homes could be on its way to the Village of Maybrook.

The idea comes from Carson Power, a storage and solar project developing group supporting New York’s path to achieving 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040. They have developed over 250 megawatts of solar and storage across New York.

The project is a part of the community solar project, New York Sun. Community solar projects provide access to local clean energy resources to those who cannot obtain rooftop solar panels.

This specific solar array would be built on the west side of Maybrook near Cardinal Health in a wooded area. It would have 2.75 megawatt AC solar facilities, with the solar area totaling 29 acres. The entire three parcels they’re looking to construct on however, is about 80 acres.

This was thoroughly explained at a joint meeting between the Village of Maybrook and Town of Montgomery boards this past Monday, where they held a few public hearings regarding the project. Andrew Gordon, a senior project developer with Carson Power, explained their situation.

The current caveat Carson Power is facing is that the third parcel is technically not in Maybroook’s jurisdiction, so in order to build on it, they’d have to annex that area from the town to Maybrook.

The board held three public hearings that night, with the first one involving the annexation.

Most members of the public who spoke had small questions or stated their support. One Montgomery resident, Joan Smith, simply asked what was in it for the town.

There was no real answer given, besides the idea that it could provide more tax revenue.

Gordon also explained that no hazardous materials will be used during the construction, which they predict will begin in November 2023 and last anywhere from six to eight months.

Residents interested would be able to subscribe to the array for electricity. “You’ll actually end up getting a discount on your electricity, as we’ve committed to giving Maybrook residents priority access to subscribe and you would expect about a 10% discount on your utility bill on an annual basis,” said Gordon.

The site is also operated remotely, so there won’t be much traffic in and out after construction is complete.

Gordon showed before and after photos of the area around the solar site, making it clear that changes were minimal and you couldn’t see one solar panel. The only large change was creating an access road into the area.

Three will also be an agricultural style fence with wooden posts around the area, with small gaps to allow wildlife in and out.

There was also a public hearing for two local laws involved in this project. The Maybrook planning board also arrived to hear any concerns about the site plan, subdivision and special permit application.