Land Use
Do you wonder how utility-scale solar projects will affect land use in our community? You’re not alone. Solar farms are in high demand and for good reasons. The cost of solar is rapidly falling, local and state authorities are setting vital environmental goals, and consumers are demanding access to clean energy. Utility-scale solar projects are an ideal solution for all of the above. At the same time, they create thousands of jobs in Virginia, leading to billions in investment. Virginia recently adopted a state-wide goal of providing 30% of Virginia’s total electricity consumption with renewable energy by 2030. We can achieve this goal by installing utility-scale solar on approximately 0.3% of the acreage in Virginia, which is less than 1% of all acreage in agriculture and timber. We have the ability to make a huge environmental and economic impact here in Virginia without transforming the state landscape. That’s all great, but what will this do to your local landscape?
Luckily, we don’t have to guess. While utility-scale solar farms are still relatively new in Virginia (the first project became operational in 2016), we can draw from the experience of existing projects. There are already 32 solar farms currently operating in the Commonwealth and thousands of utility-scale solar projects installed across the USA over the last decade. This article will help you tackle some of the most common land-use questions.
What is utility-scale solar?
You’ve probably seen rooftop or other commercial solar installations. Utility-scale solar projects are ground-mounted and typically much larger, but that’s not the only difference. Smaller solar installations will connect to the power grid “behind” the landowner’s electrical meter, or in other words, the energy user’s side of the meter. In this case, solar energy produced will roll back the meter to offset power consumption.
That’s not the case with “utility-scale” solar. Because of the amount of power it produces, solar farms connect directly to the power grid “in front” of the landowner’s electrical meter. In fact, we call it “utility-scale” because it interconnects directly with the utility and is usually larger than “behind the meter” projects in order to offer the lowest possible price of power.
The most important thing to keep in mind when considering the impact of utility-scale solar projects is that they use the same safe photovoltaic (PV) solar panel technology installed on our homes, businesses, churches, and children’s schools across the entire country. Changing the scale of the project (number of panels) and the point of interconnection does not alter the fact that the PV solar panel technology is completely safe. We’ll dig into a few common questions about what utility-scale solar means for land use below.
Why do we need utility-scale solar projects?
Installed up to 50 years ago, our fleet of traditional power generation facilities is nearing the end of its useful life. Each year, new power plant retirements are announced, and with each retirement we have the fortunate opportunity to transition to a cleaner form of electricity generation that will save money, boost Virginia’s economy, and reduce pollution.
Utility-scale solar offers an ideal solution. It’s now the cheapest form of new power generation in Virginia. It costs less than half of rooftop solar and is 50% cheaper than solar projects sited on landfill or brownfield property due to the engineering complexity that those conditions impose.
In addition to the higher cost, recent studies have shown up to 70% of rooftops in Virginia do not have suitable conditions (age, slope, orientation, load-bearing) to install solar panels, and many owners of the remaining 30% do not have the interest or financial ability to invest in solar installations on their home. Further, there are legal limits on the amount of power that can be installed “behind the meter” in Virginia. Combined, these factors limit the potential contributions from rooftop solar to the transition to a cleaner energy economy. Most estimates cap the future impact of rooftop solar at around 5% of power usage.
Access to clean energy has also become a requirement for economic development for states and localities. Economic development officials will agree — corporations looking to invest in Virginia demand access to clean energy, with 221 of the world’s largest corporations committed to 100% renewable energy usage. Low cost utility-scale solar projects help Virginia stay competitive with other states in attracting new business, investment, and jobs.
The environmental benefits of the transition to clean energy cannot be overstated. You can read more about how our community is rising to the challenge of climate change and helping push for our clean energy future here.
A transition to a pollution and emission-free energy grid and continued economic growth in Virginia requires utility-scale solar projects to be installed in the Commonwealth. We can rise to the challenge in Surry County.
How much land will be in solar land use in order to transition to our clean energy future?
Not nearly as much as you might imagine! Virginia recently adopted a state-wide goal of providing thirty percent (30%) of Virginia’s total electricity consumption with clean energy by 2030. We can achieve this goal by installing utility-scale solar on approximately 0.3% of the acreage in Virginia, which is less than 1% of all acreage in agriculture and timber. We have the ability to make a huge environmental and economic impact here in Virginia without transforming the landscape.
Virginia Land Required to Provide 30% Renewable Energy by 2030
Do utility-scale solar projects fit in with rural communities?
Absolutely! Utility-scale solar projects are much more similar in nature to agricultural uses than industrial. Both solar and farmers use an abundant, free resource – the sun – and convert that energy into a useful product. In a utility-scale solar project, the PV solar panels are arranged in a field and convert the power of the sun to clean electricity. The land is planted with a native grass to provide soil erosion and sediment control. Some projects have even begun allowing sheep to graze in between the solar panels to reduce mowing costs and provide grazing land for local farms!
The panels only cover one-third of the project area. That means two-thirds of the project area remains open green space! Solar farms are even quieter than farming operations and generally can’t be heard from outside the project fence-line. Additionally, utility-scale solar farms require very little maintenance, meaning that other than quarterly visits, there is very little traffic to the site.
