The Benefits and Common Misconceptions of Solar Farms

Most commonly called a ‘solar farm.’ A large array in South Carolina is typically ~75 megawatts (MW) in which the power generated is purchased by electric utilities to serve customers in their service area.

A typically smaller solar array consisting of anywhere from 8 to 20 panels to power a single house (usually around five kilowatts). Solar panels are typically mounted on a roof but can also be ground-mounted.

A solar array for any commercial business as small as a gas station or as big as a manufacturing facility. This array could involve as few as a dozen panels or as many as several thousand panels and can be mounted either on the roof of the commercial building(s) or on the ground near the facility. In South Carolina, this is generally limited to 1 MW or less, as that is the maximum for customers to receive favorable rates from utilities under SC Code.

Landowners choose to lease portions of their land to solar developers because lease payments offer stable, consistent revenues and long-term security for farmers and their families over the project’s ~30-year lifetime. This can be increasingly valuable to farmers who want to keep and pass down farmland to family members, but face decreasing and unstable crop prices with increasing costs. Solar farms are also one of the most reversible forms of development and can easily be converted back to usable farmland at the end of a project’s lifespan.

Fossil fuel-fired power plants remain a leading source of air, water, and land pollution that affects communities nationwide. Coal ash contains contaminants such as mercury and arsenic that can pollute water bodies and soil. Fossil fuel-fired power plants are also a significant source of emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide which contribute to more extreme weather events and adverse health impacts to humans and ecosystems. 

Clean energy sources like solar play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to more extreme weather events such as droughts, flooding, and hurricanes. Additionally, because solar does not release air pollutants that often contribute to various health issues such as respiratory issues, it can contribute to improved air quality and overall improved public health.

Tax-based revenue from the installation of solar projects accrues to the community over the lifetime of the facility. This additional income can improve schools, repair roads and bridges, and support police and fire departments. During operation, these facilities are very quiet, do not emit any odors, and have very little impact on municipal services, unlike other forms of development that may be accompanied by increased traffic, water, or other burdens.

Solar farms are among the least impactful of land uses. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) referenced research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that stated “the entire U.S. could be powered by utility-scale solar occupying just 0.6% of the nation’s land mass.” The NREL estimates that solar will occupy 3 million acres by 2030, which is just a small fraction of the nearly 900 million acres of farmland in the U.S.

Solar panel materials are fully encased, do not release harmful chemicals, and are an environmentally friendly alternative to oil, gas, and coal power plants. Additionally, the most common type of solar panels are manufactured with crystalline silicon, a non-toxic element that currently makes up the majority of the solar market.

Decommissioning refers to the removal of equipment and restoration of a site upon the completion of a solar project. These costs are the responsibility of the project owner, not the community or landowner. In South Carolina, new regulations (R.61-107.20) from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (formerly DHEC) require financial assurances and other safeguards to ensure solar farms are not abandoned and that panels are recycled or disposed of properly at the end of their usable life. By weight, 85% of a solar panel is glass and aluminum – both common materials that are recycled.

Multiple studies have shown that there is either no impact or a slightly positive impact on the sale price for residential, agricultural, or vacant residential land that adjoins or is within close proximity to existing solar farms. Additionally, while residential solar projects are different from utility scale installations (see definitions above), a study from Zillow indicates that homes equipped with solar panels increase their value by around 4% more than those without them. However, various factors like the property’s location, energy savings, and the general appeal of solar energy to potential buyers can influence the extent of this value increase.

Commercial and residential development are more disruptive to wildlife habitats, with one of the biggest threats to wildlife being more extreme weather events due to greenhouse gas emissions. Solar development plays a central role in mitigating this threat by providing a clean form of energy. Responsibly sited solar projects avoid wetlands and critical habitats and include conservation mitigation measures such as wildlife corridors, native vegetative buffers, wildlife-friendly fencing, and pollinator plants.