The Laramie County Board of Commissioners in Wyoming has given the green light to a land use plan for a 771 MW solar project. The Cowboy Solar project is being developed and will be built by Canadian energy company Enbridge Inc.

The development plan received unanimous approval from county commissioners because it represents a significant positive change. Cowboy Solar, which is set to be one of the largest photovoltaic (PV) farms in Wyoming, will cost an estimated $1.2 billion to install 1.2 million panels. The park will be built in two phases and will occupy 3,845 acres in Laramie County. What will be especially beneficial is that the complex will be coupled with battery storage systems to store energy and release it to the grid when needed. The location of the batteries has not yet been confirmed.

The first phase of Cowboy Solar will include a 400 MW solar power farm with 136 MW of storage. An additional 371 MW of solar and 133 MW of storage capacity will be added in the second phase. Construction is expected to begin in 2025, with the initial phase of the site expected to be online in 2026. The complex should be fully operational in 2027, feeding power into the Cheyenne Light and Power (CLPT) grid.

This utility-scale solar project will be the third in Wyoming. The state is ranked 46th in the U.S. for solar by the Solar Energy Industries Association. Since 1986, Wyoming has mined more coal than any other state in the U.S., so the new solar farm is a great positive development. Communities that go solar not only help reduce pollution but can also save significant amounts of money on their bills.

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