New Castle County has accepted a donation of 19 acres of land from PBF Energy near the Delaware City refinery. The site could become a solar farm, although other uses are possible.
The County Council voted September Tuesday to accept the land, on the northwest corner of Wrangle Hill Road and Bear Corbitt Road, off Del. Route 72 between U.S. 13 and Route 1.
In 2011, the county gave PBF a five-year property tax exemption and tax-exempt bond financing. In exchange, PBF agreed to donate the 19 acres, which is zoned for commercial regional use.
Following the formal transfer of the land, County Executive Paul G. Clark and his administration will work with County Council to determine the best use for the parcel.
County Executive Clark said he prefers that the county lease the property as a solar farm. “We believe that is the best use – as a clean-energy source. A solar farm would lower the county’s energy costs and its carbon footprint while not adding any burden to local roads or other infrastructure. But we are willing to entertain other ideas from Council and the private sector,” he said.
PBF purchased the Delaware City Refinery from Valero in 2010 and reopened it a year ago. The county partnered with the state in a financial package aimed at reopening the refinery.
The parcel is worth an estimated $546,000, based on appraised parcels in the immediate area, according to Karl Kalbacher, the county’s director of economic development. He estimates that based on industry standards the parcel is capable of generating four megawatts of solar energy, which would make it the largest solar project in New Castle County.
New Castle County government currently has solar panels on the Government Center in New Castle and the Hockessin Library. In June, the county announced its participation in the federal government’s Better Buildings Challenge, which aims to reduce its energy use by 20 percent by 2020.
