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Solar provides low-cost energy for consumers. Solar panels generate the most power in direct sunlight, but they can also produce power using indirect or diffuse sunlight – so they still work on cloudy days and rain helps to keep solar panels operating efficiently by keeping them clean.
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Western PA is considered one of the cloudiest locations in the US. It ranks 44 out of 50. Learn more here Even though they do make solar panels that may work a bit better in less sun, why would you put solar panels in the cloudiest part of the US when there are so many other locations that are more suitable and would produce more efficient solar energy? Learn more here
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Solar farms protect the landscape. There is no need to move huge amounts of dirt or for cement foundations.
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Industrial solar has a huge carbon foot print (takes up lots of land). Many of the industrial solar farms energy is sent to companies so they can claim they are going more green. Learn more here and here
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Solar is as non-intrusive a usage as imaginable under current state law.
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Solar panels are impervious to water which can cause potential water shed problems. Learn more here They are also removing trees and vegetation, which are habitats for wildlife and host plants for many insects, thus disrupting the eco system. Learn more here
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The landowners believe they have the right to use their land for solar energy production. They believe it is permissible under Pennsylvania state law and is the ideal use for their property and their family.
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The bigger question is why isn’t solar being pursued and developed on industrial/commercial land? Why are they pursuing property that is producing crops and destroying trees and vegetation on good farm land? Landowners may have rights but so do their neighbors? Why should the landowners profit and in many instances, will not even be impacted by the solar fields due to not living on the land or having an agreement so they do not see the solar fields or have very little sight of the solar fields? The individuals, surrounding the proposed industrial solar farms, are living in the country so they can enjoy the scenic country life. The country side is zoned for agriculture use, not for “industrial” solar farms. There is nothing country about Industrial solar farms.
Learn more here |
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A Solar project will create a new, long-term source of funding for the community, including a large portion for area schools.
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What long term funding will the solar project create? Are there written guarantees about these long term funding or just suggested?
Learn more here |
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The project will create jobs during construction and operations in Lawrence County and may hire a variety of vendors and local services.
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Most jobs created will only be temporary and they state “may” hire from the local services and vendors. Are there any written guarantees that they will only hire from the local area and only use the local vendors and services? What will the salary be for any local jobs they do create and how long will they last?
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It will also protect the land for future farmers making this a project a great option for the community
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If “solar is the future”, then the land will never be turned back to farmland. They state they are helping the local farmers to keep the farmland in the family, but if there is no land to farm, they only reason to keep it in the family is for the money it may potentially produce. Learn more here and Learn more here
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The project will interconnect project facilities to the existing transmission network via a tap of an existing utility-owned line.
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What additional land may be needed, that they are not informing anyone, that they will need to run the lines to connect everything. What land will be taken by eminent domain? Learn more here
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After construction, the project area will be planted with selective vegetative screening to protect the rural character of the community
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With rolling hills, there will be no way to hide these solar fields surrounded by chain link fence. Some of the proposed solar fields are still viewable over 20 foot trees. Learn more here
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Solar energy makes for a great neighbor. It is quiet, can be hidden, and does not produce a smell.
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The sub stations are not quiet. You cannot hide the solar fields on rolling hills. What written guarantee will neighbors have that they will not ever have to see these fields or hear the substations and if they do, what is written to protect the rights? Learn more here
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There are reports out there also Learn more here that it does impact the land value. Many reports generated by the solar companies are paid by the solar companies, so it isn’t an impartial report.
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They will work with a landscape designer to develop and implement a plan for evergreen-type vegetative screening the project areas viewable from residential structures. Landscape screening is proven to minimize or eliminate visual impact of solar equipment and helps to retain the natural character of a rural community.
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Solar companies are saying they will adhere to all state and local rules around decommissioning ensuring the landowners and other taxpayers are not impacted. The lease agreements with landowners and local jurisdictions spell out these obligations, including provisions to provide a financial security that ensures the project will have the resources needed to remove all equipment after installation. Once the equipment is removed the land will be ready to farm as it will be in essentially the same condition it is today.
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How much does it cost to remove and clean up after a decommissioned solar field? If it is the responsibility of the landowner, will they be able to afford it? If the township, will taxes go up to cover these costs? If they have a bond, what happens they stop payment or the bond company goes bankrupt?
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We intend to own and operate this solar facility. If this changes, the community will be informed. Regardless of who owns and operates the facility, all terms in the lease and all local and state laws must be honored and followed.
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Is there anything written to ensure that current laws and regulations are not changed in the years to come?
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We will work with tenant farmers who lease ground from landowners who receive solar facilities on their property.
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Tenant farmers will be losing leased land which means they will be losing income. In some instances, this may impact them enough that they may not be able to continue to farm. If farm land is lost to industrial solar, then rent prices will rise due to less land to rent, having further impact on local farmers who rely on their neighbors land to continue farming. Learn more here
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As more solar projects reach end of life and achieve sufficient economic scale, there will be more opportunity for recycling materials. Details on panel recycling can be found in the United States Environmental Protection Agency website, at https://www.epa.gov/hw/solar-panel-recycling.
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There are no laws requiring that the solar panels are recycled and not put into landfills. The United States may have their regulations on how they must be recycled in the US, but it is not required. It is currently cheaper to put them into landfills than it is to recycle them. You do the math, which do you think they will opt for if they are not “made” to do it? Learn more here
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Will first responder and firefighters need additional training? It is unlikely a serious event will happen at the site.
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It is unlikely your house will burn down, but you probably know of someone who has had a house fire.
Does this mean the locals will be trained and if so, who will pay for the training to keep those new to the job trained? If they are not, then how long will it take a trained responder to show, which means potentially toxic gasses in the air, or toxins in the ground. Learn more here |
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Will the solar panels used leak hazardous material?
No. We are committed to only using solar panels that meet or exceed environmental safety standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These standards ensure that during normal operations - as well as in the unlikely event a solar panel is damaged - the panels will not release any substances or materials that are considered hazardous under federal law. |
Solar panels could include toxins. Learn more here
What guarantee is there that these will never leak if damaged. Learn more here What guarantees are there that they will not produce any toxins into the air if they catch on fire? Learn more here How do states and local communities make sure that these chemicals will not migrate from solar panels into soils and local aquifers? How will solar panels, with these materials, be safely disposed of at the end of their useful life, and who will pay for it?(Note: these panels will not biodegrade) Learn more here |
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We carefully choose our project locations to ensure that our solar projects produce as much clean power as possible and Lawrence County will provide the appropriate conditions to make this project successful
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If the solar company claims solar panels generate the most power in direct sunlight, then how can they claim they have done their research and are proposing projects in the cloudiest locations in the US? Both cannot be true. So what other areas are they trying to double talk? Learn more here
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Solar panels work well in cold weather. Snow and ice are also generally not an issue – small amounts of snow are usually blown off by the wind, or snow may slide off on its own because the panels are tilted at an angle to capture the maximum amount of sunlight. Both help keep the modules clean throughout the winter. After heavier snowfalls, the panels may need to be cleared by facility employees.
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Winter is the cloudiest time of the year, so not only will the solar panels be hampered by the clouds, but they will also be hampered by any snow or ice. Learn more here
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The information contained on the MoreAboutSolar website does not, and is not intended to, constituted legal advice; instead, all information, content and materials available on this site are for general informational and educational purposes only. The decision to use content on the MoreAboutSolar website is the responsibility of the reader. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser. While MoreAboutSolar believes the information on its website is accurate, we encourage the reader to conduct their own research, as much information is subject to interpretation, and information may be updated, as new research, findings, materials, reports and studies become publicly available.
