Hillsboro Solar is a 200-megawatt solar facility under construction in Lawrence County, Alabama on the north side of Highway 20 and Browns Ferry Road. Hillsboro Solar is committed to boosting local economic development, collaborating with stakeholders, and fostering community partnerships to meet the needs of Lawrence County.
Located in Northeastern Lawrence County, Hillsboro Solar will interconnect to the power grid on the Trinity-Nance 161 kV transmission line.
Construction is underway with completion anticipated in early 2027.
Project size
Powered annually, while offsetting more than 281,100 metric tons of CO₂*
Estimated local tax revenue generated
Along roads to minimize visibility
What does this project mean for you and your community?
Throughout its lifetime, Hillsboro Solar will pay more than 20 million dollars in tax revenues to Lawrence County. Before construction, we are committed to hiring locally, when possible, and ensuring area businesses have the opportunity to bid on subcontracts. During construction, the project will require hundreds of workers to be onsite, providing an economic boost to area businesses and service providers.
Home-grown solar enables rural communities to stay rural whilst having a clean, reliable energy source. The transition to clean energy is powered by strong communities whose landowners, local businesses, and citizens recognize their critical role in making it happen. Hillsboro Solar is projected to produce enough energy to power over 35,000 homes annually while offsetting more than 280,000 metric tons of CO2.
Hillsboro Solar was planned through the most comprehensive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process, and the project has been designed to preserve existing wetlands and habitats on site. Buffers will be incorporated around environmentally sensitive areas and best management practices for storm runoff and pollution prevention will be integrated. During the life of Hillsboro Solar, wildlife corridors, pollinators, and other habitat-nurturing features will enable nature to continue to thrive.
Hillsboro Solar will pay approximately $23.5 million dollars in tax revenues over its lifetime. These dollars could be used for county improvements such expansion of broadband internet, investment in area schools and other community services–all while providing clean, locally sourced solar energy to Alabama.
Approximately $23.5 million in Real Estate and Business Personal Property taxes for Lawrence County.*
*Estimated tax revenue is based on a 35-year project life.
Hillsboro Solar will generate power for up to 35 years and that means long-term benefit for the surrounding region.
*Source: Emissions reductions based on EIA state level data for fossil fuel generation replacement. Project emissions are included for entire life cycle based on NREL Harmonization studies as well as foregone forest sequestration per EPA equivalency analysis.
Thank you for your interest in Hillsboro Solar. If your question is not covered in the FAQ, please submit a question on the contact form, and we will be sure to respond.
Hillsboro solar will be located along Highway 20, and the project will have a 300′ setback along the highway corridor. Sections of the project may be visible, but a vegetative buffer will be planted to minimize visibility.
The land is owned by members of the Northern Alabama community.
When the solar facility is no longer efficient, the system will be decommissioned and the equipment removed, recycling everything that can be recycled, and returning the land to the condition in which it existed prior to the installation of the solar project. Solar has a minimal impact on the land, unlike fossil fuel power plants. When the project is removed, the land is returned to essentially its original state. Many landowners see leasing land for utility-scale solar projects as a form of land banking, as it has minimal long-term impact on the value of the land. Panthera Grid Partners assumes all responsibility for decommissioning and places a secure bond with the county in the event that project ownership should change in the future. This means that the county and its residents are NOT responsible for any costs for the removal of a project at the end of its useful life.
Solar panels do not produce noise, but the inverters that change the current of electricity from DC to AC do produce a slight hum that is not audible past the property boundaries. Solar projects are considered quiet neighbors.
Panthera Grid Partners utilizes the best available Photovoltaic solar (PV) panel technology for all of our utility-scale projects. These panels are dark in color and are treated with an anti-reflective coating. The purpose of solar panels is to absorb as much sunlight as possible to produce energy efficiently so the point of the panels is to be as minimally reflective as possible. Solar panels are generally less reflective than windows and have been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for installation on and around airports across the country.
Utility-scale solar projects do not increase runoff and may actually improve soil and water quality. Stormwater management plans are a required part of the solar development process. These plans are prepared by professional engineers to ensure that projects do not contribute to erosion or flooding. We follow the strict requirements of state and local authorities to ensure our projects meet and often exceed guidelines to protect surrounding waterways. Once operational, the use of perennial ground cover and elimination of annual tillage, irrigation, and fertilizer (in the case of farmland) allows the soil to absorb water and rejuvenate during the life of the project. A solar project has maximum ground permeability and is much better in terms of stormwater runoff than most other types of development.
Solar farms do not pose a threat to wildlife. Wildlife studies are an important part of the development process — trained experts study proposed sites to ensure that utility-scale solar development minimizes impact to wildlife. Solar projects can also provide important habitat for birds and pollinators like bees and butterflies.
We are committed to being responsible members of the local community and good neighbours. Panthera Grid Partners Gives is proud to support education, preservation efforts and other causes in the Hillsboro Solar community.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Panthera Grid Partners is a portfolio company of Brookfield, one of the world’s largest owners and operators of renewable power and sustainable solutions.
Panthera Grid Partners delivers reliable, utility-scale solar, wind and energy storage infrastructure to meet America’s growing demand for domestic energy.
With a portfolio exceeding 10 gigawatts, Panthera Grid Partners operates in U.S. power markets where load growth, grid reliability and capital investment are most critical. The company develops, acquires, builds, and operates renewable energy assets with a disciplined, precision-driven focus on execution, performance, and operational integrity.
Through responsible land stewardship and strong local partnerships, Panthera Grid Partners delivers energy projects with respect for land, agriculture, and local priorities, working with landowners and communities to support long-term land value and strengthen regional economies.
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