OneEnergy is exploring innovative approaches to keep the land in direct agricultural production while operating the solar facility. This includes project designs that would allow for sheep grazing and planting pollinator habitat. Solar grazing would provide valuable grazing grounds for local producers. Pollinator habitat would allow for increased pollination of nearby crops, supporting the current practice of siting bee hives nearby.

The Wallula Gap Solar Project was strategically sited to align with the priorities for renewables development in Washington state, while minimizing potential development impacts. The project site is situated well away from Benton County’s population centers. The location avoids impacts to high-value agricultural land and sensitive wildlife habitat and carries a significantly smaller development footprint relative to other large-scale project proposed in the region.

The facility would provide Benton County with approximately $4.9 million in property tax revenue and provide the local landowners with stable revenue to supplement their agricultural operations, which are subject to market volatility.

Construction of the facility would support up to 105 jobs during peak construction. Wallula Gap Solar expects that up to 50 percent of the construction jobs can be hired locally and would advertise open positions at local job fairs and through other local advertising to enable as much local hiring as possible.