Construction could begin as early as October on a $1.45 million solar canopy in downtown Fort Smith that will cover part of a parking lot and provide shade and cover for the Fort Smith Farmers Market, according to the city of Fort Smith.
The solar canopy, to be built at 215 Garrison Ave., will be a 340-kilowatt (KW) array that will cover two of the central rows of parking, and be 14-feet tall, according to Joshua Robertson, director of citizen and city services for the city.
Materials are being purchased by the city through the general fund, and the city is eligible for a 30% federal investment tax credit, Robertson said.
Robertson said the plan is to do a majority of the work while the market is not active. The market is open every Saturday from 7 a.m. to Noon during the months of March-December. The market[1] has around 70 vendors, according to Kathy Mazyck, secretary/treasurer for Fort Smith Farmers Market.
According to Robertson, the completed canopy will generate around 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, with the electricity sold back into the grid – at 5.5 cents per kilowatt-hour – covering maintenance and insurance for the canopy. Entegrity and OG&E are working with the city on the project.
“The benefits of this project extend beyond power generation, this project is about improving daily life in Fort Smith and continuing to bring new elements that enhance downtown,” Robertson said. “The canopy will give farmers and shoppers welcome shade during hot market days, provide covered parking for residents and visitors, and add a striking new modern feature that integrates seamlessly into Fort Smith’s historic downtown. It’s an investment that pays for itself while giving something back to the community and reinforcing the Farmer’s Market as a central community gathering place.”
The canopy is one of several projects the Fort Smith Board of Directors approved in September 2024[2]. At the time, Robertson said the planned solar installations were expected to generate over 17 million kWh annually, yielding over $100,000 in net savings each year, and $3.5 million in savings over the life of the solar arrays.
The other solar projects approved by the Fort Smith Board included a 35-acre large scale solar array constructed in partnership with Entegrity and OG&E as an off-site solar project in Logan County, which will generate at least 11 million kilowatt hours of energy per year, and a 15-acre large scale solar array constructed in partnership with Entegrity and Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative located in Franklin County, which will generate at least 4 million kilowatt hours of energy per year.
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References
- ^ The market (talkbusiness.net)
- ^ approved in September 2024 (talkbusiness.net)