KINGMAN – A renewable energy project involving solar and hydrogen production components will be heard by the Mohave County Planning and Zoning Commission this week. The proposed project area involves more than 12,000 acres south of Red Lake, about 20 miles north of Kingman.
County staff is recommending approval of Derek Fromm’s request for application of an Energy Overlay zone to property currently zoned A-R/36A on behalf of the Hualapai Valley Farm.
“The project right now is for the farm that’s in need of energy,” Fromm said. “There is no existing grid connection available at the farm and the plan is to generate on-site solar energy for on-site use.”
Fromm explained the project also involves use of water to produce hydrogen that can generate power when solar production is not possible after dusk.
“We need to make hydrogen to produce energy that we can store in hydrogen fuel cells in lieu of what everybody is so angry about, the lithium iron storage battery systems,” he said. Fromm said most hydrogen produced would be used on-site but that any extra would be trucked away for other commercial purpose.
Fromm is aware of public concern and opposition involving water consumption and other issues, but hopes to introduce the project before it is judged. He also believes the proposed development is outside the scope of the utility scale renewable energy moratorium (not yet adopted) that Board of Supervisors Chairman Travis Lingenfelter offered in mid-July.
“When Lingenfelter first introduced the item he already indicated that residential and commercial owners who want to generate energy on-site for on-site use would not be covered by the moratorium,” Fromm said. “So, I’m working on the assumption that I should not care about the moratorium for the purpose of helping the farm be economically viable by having power.”
Wednesday’s (Sept. 13) commission meeting at the County Administration Building at 700 W. Beale St. in Kingman begins at 10:00 a.m. Items addressed in the commission setting are expected to next be heard at the Oct. 2 board of supervisors meeting.
