Project Overview

Project Overview

Stratford Ecological Center, a non-profit educational organic farm and nature preserve on 236 acres in Delaware County, Ohio, reached out to several premier Ohio solar installers to construct their first solar project. Stratford selected Kokosing Solar for our expertise in both solar project development and construction. 

The result of our collaboration was a 54.6 kW solar PV system coupled with a Cripple Creek electric vehicle car charger. Aside from lowering their large electrical costs, the organization felt that solar aligned with their values and reinforces to the community that Stratford is a true steward of the earth. Since sustainability of the land is important to the organization, to avoid increasing land use, we were able to install on two south facing barns on the property, situated perfectly for optimal solar production. 

Project Financing: Stratford Ecological received help from their large network of members and volunteers to fundraise for the project. Individuals could invest in the solar at various price levels to become a “Sunbeam”, “Power Ranger”, and “Solar Supreme”

Legal and tax structure: Since Stratford Ecological Center is a tax exempt non-profit, zero tax incentives were utilized for this project. 

Location: Delaware, Ohio 

System Size: 54.6 kW

Completed: 2018 

Project Overview

After a public bidding process,  Kokosing Solar was selected as the Design-Build and EPC Partner for the City of Lebanon Solar Project. In a unanimous vote, the City Council approved the $13.4M solar project largely due to the long-term financial benefits to its ratepayers. Lebanon is the seventh largest municipal-owned utility in Ohio.  

Over the solar system’s lifespan, it is projected to save the City and its utility customers over $27M, will help the City diversify its sources of electricity, and will serve as an attractive showpiece for the community.  The projected cost of the solar arrays will be reduced by about 30% through the federal Investment Tax Credit direct-pay program.

This project will include ground mount arrays across three city-owned properties, spanning a combined total of 41 acres of undevelopable city-owned land. Kokosing Solar broke ground in April 2024 and is expected to complete the project by the end of 2024. Kokosing Solar will self-perform the full scope of construction. 

The project award caps a long selection process that began in January 2023. Kokosing Solar was selected as the best-value RFQ respondent to complete a project feasibility study for the City to demonstrate the technical and financial viability of the project.  The study was delivered to the City’s satisfaction in late May, culminating in the successful award of the EPC contract.

Location: Lebanon, Ohio  

System Size: 9.821 MW DC

Expected completion: 2024 

Project Overview

When a Private Client sought bids for a solar EPC partner to install a 3.9 MW DC blasted solar array for their client, they selected Kokosing Solar for our experience in the industry.

The project required extensive collaboration with the structural engineers, racking manufacturers, FM Global, SCADA technicians, and the Client.

This complex project contained four electrical rooms with different communication and weather systems for each room. During commissioning, the client and utility required that a third-party  SCADA system be installed to monitor and regulate the net export energy off site remotely. The new equipment was not natively integrated with the original system. Kokosing Solar worked closely with the manufacturers to create the link that connected the two communication systems together.  During this project, Kokosing Solar used a Solmetric  I-V curve tracer and  Infrared Scanning technology to improve the commissioning timeline.

Location: Ohio  

System Size: 3.947 MW DC

Completed: 2023

Project Overview

After a public bidding process,  Kokosing Solar was selected as the Design-Build, EPC, and  Equity Partner for the City of Athens East Side Solar Project. This project includes a rooftop array on the City of Athens Community Center, solar canopy shade structures at the city pool, and a large ground mount solar array, which powers the adjacent wastewater treatment plant. Between the various solar sites, the project totals 2.123 MW DC.  Kokosing Solar completed the project in 2023. 

Kokosing Solar self-performed the full scope of construction. Additionally, the union workforce for DC and AC construction meets the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act, fully maximizing the project’s federal tax benefits. 

Oak Tree Equity, an affiliated entity to the Kokosing group of companies, was selected by  Kokosing Solar as the finance partner for The City of Athens East Side Solar Project. Oak Tree Equity will finance the project through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). 

The project is estimated to offset more than 1,800 metric tons of CO2 annually. The total electricity offset is estimated to be more than 60% of the total power consumption of each separate building. The Waste Water Plant, for example, has an average electricity bill of over $30,000 a month, so the addition of solar will bring the traditional power consumption down considerably.

Kokosing Solar was selected based on our unique positioning as an EPC with over 20 years of solar experience, our construction strength as one of the largest family-owned construction companies in Ohio, our self-performance capabilities, our ability to meet workforce requirements to maximize tax benefits, and our ability to streamline financing with Oak Tree Equity.  

Location: Athens, Ohio  

System Size: 2.123 MW DC

Completed: 2023

Project Overview

When Assurant, Inc. (premier provider of specialty insurance), sought to construct their first solar project they conducted a nationwide search, then selected Kokosing Solar for our expertise in both solar project development and construction. The result of our collaboration was a 1.8 MW Kokosing Solar project structured as a PPA. This complex $5M roof and parking canopy project was designed and built by our team and delivered on time and on budget. Project complexities included locating and passing significant below-ground obstructions using direct boring equipment as well as safely building on an active corporate campus, including the fully utilized parking lot of a three shift data center. 

Project Financing: Structured as a 25 year PPA.  Kokosing Solar selected a project finance partner to own and operate the project using their investors’ capital.

Legal and tax structure: Wholly owned by a special purpose entity (LLC), with all tax benefits, including depreciation flowing to equity holders directly.

Power Purchase Agreements and Contracts: 25 year PPA and site lease between Assurant and Tangent. EPC construction contract between Tangent and Kokosing Solar. Repair, maintenance and servicing contracts: Operations and maintenance agreement between Tangent and Kokosing Solar.

Project Overview

Cuyahoga County approved the power purchase agreement (PPA) for solar on County-owned buildings, including the Medical Examiner’s Office in Cleveland, the Animal Shelter in Valley View, and the Harvard Road Garage in Newburgh Heights. The Aggregated Solar Program enables these three buildings to produce around 10 percent of the facilities’ power needs, reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 940 tons, and can help achieve over $1 million of lifetime savings versus utility costs.

All installations were completed in Summer 2022. The solar panels are expected to yield a total of 1,147,000 kWh of energy. The panels account for 13 percent of the total load for the Animal Shelter, 3 percent for the Medical Examiner’s Office, and 25-30 percent for the Harvard Road Garage.

Under the Aggregated Solar Program, Youngstown-based Enerlogics Solar and Athens-based Kokosing Solar were selected through a competitive bid process as the developer and installation teams.

Legal structure: This competitively awarded bid includes a cooperative purchasing agreement, structure enables county facilities to save as much as 20 percent compared to current utility costs.

Permitting and interconnection experience:

• Animal Shelter: the State of Ohio, Interconnection CEI/First Energy
• Jane Edna Hunter: building-permits through the City of Cleveland. Interconnection with Cleveland Public Power
• Harvard Garage: Village of Newburgh Heights permitting. Interconnection with CEI/First Energy
• Medical Examiner’s Office: permits through the City of Cleveland. Interconnection with Cleveland Public Power.

Locations: Cleveland, Newburgh Heights, Valley View, Ohio

System Size: In total, 1706 kW DC Roof mounted solar across 4 Cuyahoga County-owned facilities

Completed: 2022

In 2020, Kent State University sought to establish itself as a sustainability leader to attract students, save money and reduce their environmental impact. Kent State University chose  Kokosing Solar to install solar at 3 of the University’s regional campuses: Stark, Ashtabula, and East Liverpool.

Work at the Ashtabula Campus began in Fall 2020 and included the installation of 2,160 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels totaling an 864 kW ground mounted array mounted on a solar tracking system. Native wildflowers were planted near the ground mounted system to help preserve and promote an ecosystem of bees and insects, increase water retention and reduce mowing needed at the site.

The three-campus project completed in 2021 was the most recent but not the first project that  Kokosing Solar completed for Kent State University. The Kent State University Field House project, installed in 2012, was the University’s first solar array.  Kokosing Solar was chosen as the installation partner. At the time of installation, it was the largest roof mounted Solar PV system within the University System of Ohio.

Permitting and interconnection experience: 

• Ashtabula: Permitting was done through the State of Ohio Division of Industrial Compliance. Interconnection was done through First Energy.  
• Stark: Zoning permit submitted before the rest of permitting through Jackson Township. Permits (building and electrical; commercial) plan review through Stark County. Interconnection through AEP.  
• East Liverpool: Permits through the State of Ohio. Interconnection through AEP.  

KOKOSING INDUSTRIAL HEADQUARTERS SOLAR INSTALLATION, COLUMBUS, OHIO

Project Overview

Kokosing Solar, a division of Kokosing Industrial, installed solar panels at our Kokosing Industrial Headquarters in Westerville, Ohio. The 825 kW DC project spans two maintenance garages and the primary office building. In total, the arrays offset 40% of our facility’s energy usage. 

The arrays were designed using Schletter dual-tilt ballasted mounting to maximize performance while maximizing the visibility of the solar arrays.  

Displays in the main office lobby will demonstrate the solar array’s daily and lifetime energy performance to guests. Clients and partners will be invited to visit and learn about the onsite solar installation.

PRIVATE CLIENT, COLUMBUS, OHIO

Project Overview

When a healthcare software company in central Ohio sought to construct a custom carport and vertical wall solar installation, they selected Kokosing Solar for our experience with custom builds and solar carport installations. This solar installation was designed and built by our team and delivered on time and on budget.  

Permitting and interconnection experience: The permitting for this project was complex and included working with the City of Columbus and EMH&T Site Engineers. The permitting process included water, sewer, fire, and electrical permitting. Due to zoning rules in the City of Columbus, for every 10 parking spaces, permitting required that 1 tree be planted.  Kokosing Solar worked with partners to deliver on this aspect of permitting the project. Interconnection was conducted through AEP with special testing of the Delta transformers.  

Athens Water Treatment Plant – Microgrid 

Project Overview

The microgrid includes an existing Kokosing Solar installed a 658-panel solar array on site that powers a new 250 kilowatt/ 1,140 kilowatt-hour battery energy system. It is expected that this system will be able to maintain power to the plant for up to five days in the event of an outage. When an outage occurs, the microgrid will take over, delivering power to the plant within minutes.

As part of the demonstration project, AEP Ohio, in partnership with the city of Athens, will perform a series of planned outages over the next 11 months to test the microgrid’s effectiveness in various situations.

The project is part of AEP Ohio’s effort to demonstrate that microgrids can keep the power flowing in the event of an extended outage.

Legal and tax structure: The microgrid is owned by the city of Athens and operated by AEP Ohio. Specifically, AEP Ohio will be able to learn how behind-the-meter, customer-sited microgrids can simultaneously help the customer and the utility grid.

Project Financing: In keeping with the educational nature of the installation, the project is funded by grants.

Permitting and interconnection experience: Permitting was done through the general contractor, Claypool. Kokosing Solar provided support and documentation through the permitting and interconnection process.

Location: Athens, Ohio

System Size: 224 kW/ 250kW BESS

Completed: 2022

OBERLIN ELEMENTARY Solar Project Overview

Project Overview

Kokosing Solar was awarded the Oberlin Elementary School project after a competitive public bidding process. The ground mounted system was installed smoothly and completely installed in 3 days. The 268 kW ground-mounted solar array will offset an estimated 80% of the school’s annual energy use.

Permitting and interconnection experience: Permitting completed through the City of Oberlin. It was a simple and straightforward process. Interconnection was done through OMLPS, the city of Oberlin’s municipal electric provider. The interconnection and approval process went smoothly and took approximately one month.

Location: Oberlin, Ohio

System Size: 268 kW

Completed: 2022

Denison University Campus Solar Project Overview

When Denison University wanted to begin a solar program, they came to Kokosing Solar for help and became a long term partner on multiple projects across the campus.

Our most recent collaboration resulted in Kokosing Solar acting as the EPC for a 2.33 MW solar array stretching across seven acres and two sites. The project is our first using single axis (East-West) trackers and also features a unique pollinator friendly ground cover.

Legal and tax structure: Wholly owned by a special purpose entity (LLC), with all tax benefits, including depreciation, flowing to equity holders directly.

Purchase power agreements and contracts: 25-year PPA and site lease between Denison University and the system owner/investor. EPC construction contract between owner and Kokosing Solar.

Repair, maintenance, and servicing contracts: Operations and maintenance agreement between owner and Kokosing Solar.

Location: Granville, Ohio

System Size: 2.33 MW

Completed: 2017