Virginia is witnessing a surge of solar energy development as the state aims to achieve 100 percent renewable electricity by 2050. However, not everyone is happy with the large-scale solar farms that are transforming the rural landscape and raising environmental and agricultural concerns.
How solar farms are changing Virginia’s land use
Solar energy is one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity in Virginia, thanks to the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) that mandates utilities to procure 3,000 megawatts of solar power by 2024. According to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, there are currently 70 solar projects in the state’s permitting queue, covering almost 100,000 acres of land.
Most of these projects are located in rural counties, where land is cheaper and more abundant than in urban areas. However, this also means that solar farms are competing with other land uses, such as agriculture, forestry, and conservation. Some residents and local officials are worried that solar development will reduce the availability and quality of farmland, affect wildlife habitats, and alter the scenic and historic character of the countryside.
What are the benefits and challenges of solar farms?
Solar advocates argue that solar farms offer many benefits for the state and the local communities. Solar energy is clean, renewable, and reliable, and can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Solar farms can also create jobs, generate tax revenues, and provide lease payments for landowners.
However, solar farms also pose some challenges and trade-offs. Solar panels require large areas of land that are cleared of vegetation and graded to install the equipment. This can increase soil erosion, water runoff, and sedimentation, and potentially affect water quality and aquatic life. Solar farms can also fragment wildlife corridors, disrupt natural habitats, and pose risks to birds and bats that may collide with the panels.
Additionally, solar farms can have social and cultural impacts. Some residents and local officials are concerned that solar farms will lower property values, create visual and noise pollution, and conflict with the historical and aesthetic values of the rural landscape. Some farmers and landowners are reluctant to lease their land to solar developers, fearing that they will lose control over their property and their agricultural heritage.
Who gets the final say on solar projects?
The approval process for solar projects in Virginia varies depending on the size and location of the project. Smaller projects (less than 5 megawatts) are generally regulated by the local governments, which have the authority to grant or deny special use permits based on their zoning and comprehensive plans. Larger projects (more than 5 megawatts) are regulated by the State Corporation Commission (SCC), which has the authority to issue or deny certificates of public convenience and necessity based on the public interest and the environmental impact of the project.
However, the VCEA has introduced some changes to the approval process that have sparked debates over who gets the final say on solar projects. The VCEA allows utilities to build, own, and operate up to 500 megawatts of solar projects without SCC approval, as long as they meet certain criteria, such as being located on previously disturbed land or having local government support. The VCEA also allows third-party developers to build, own, and operate up to 500 megawatts of solar projects with SCC approval, as long as they have local government support and meet certain environmental standards.
These provisions are intended to streamline the approval process and encourage solar development, but they also raise some questions and concerns. Some local governments and residents feel that the VCEA undermines their authority and input on solar projects, and that the SCC should have more oversight and discretion on the public interest and the environmental impact of the projects. Some environmental groups and solar developers feel that the VCEA does not go far enough to remove the barriers and uncertainties that hinder solar development, and that the local governments and the SCC should have more flexibility and incentives to approve solar projects.
What is the future of solar farms in Virginia?
Solar energy is expected to play a major role in Virginia’s transition to a carbon-free electric grid. However, the rapid and large-scale deployment of solar farms also poses some challenges and trade-offs for the state and the local communities. Finding a balance between the benefits and the impacts of solar farms, and between the roles and the interests of different stakeholders, will be crucial for the future of solar energy and land use in Virginia.
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