First Ever Open House Planned for Solar Farm

Published on May 22, 2025

Learn more about solar energy production and take a guided tour at the first ever SunSmart Ames Solar Farm Open House from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18. The solar array is located west of Sam’s Club at 623 Airport Road.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn about renewable energy production, home solar systems, utility conservation, and more. Guided tours of the large-scale, 10-acre solar farm will be provided. This family friendly event will include information from various City of Ames departments, as well as showcase the sheep being used for natural vegetation control, bee colonies and honey production in collaboration with Iowa State University, and landscaping that emphasizes pollinators and native plantings.

“The community solar farm represents a significant investment by many Ames Electric Services customers in renewable energy, but not many people have experienced the site beyond driving by,” said Nolan Sagan, City of Ames Sustainability Coordinator. “I think visitors will be pleasantly surprised by all that’s happening on the property in addition to energy production.”

The SunSmart Ames Solar Farm was completed in December 2020 with hundreds of participants investing in energy production. Ames Electric Services customers can still purchase shares in the solar farm, called “Power Packs” at $240 each. Each Power Pack represents 175W of generating capacity. For those who may be in Ames a short time, Power Packs are transferable and can be donated or sold to another Ames Electric customer or back to the utility.

Owners of Power Packs receive monthly credits on their utility bill that average around $1 per month and are based on the actual production of the solar farm. While it is possible to achieve a payback on the investment with enough sun, customers typically do not sign up for SunSmart for financial gain. For more info, visit: www.CityOfAmes.org/Solar.

###