The following editorial appeared in The (Sunbury) Daily Item, a CNHI newspaper. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tribune-Democrat.
Generation of solar power increased significantly in 2023 and the first part of this year, proving that the sun’s rays have a place in the state’s and nation’s efforts to boost clean, renewable energy.
But as our three-part special report on solar energy noted this week, it does matter where large, multi-acre solar arrays are placed.
Pennsylvania ranked 12th nationally in new solar installations in 2023 and rose to 10th through the first quarter of this year, according to a market analysis by the industry association.
The state Department of Environmental Protection reports the total electrical output of all types of solar systems, including residential, commercial and grid-style stood at about 6 megawatts of alternating current (MWac) in 2009, and has increased every year since to a total of 1,009 MWac by the end of 2023.
Those are big numbers, but for a bit of perspective, solar energy currently re- presents only about 1% of electrical power generated by all sources in Pennsylvania.
Solar potentially has a powerful future, but the solar arrays and panels needed to capture and convert the sun’s rays into electricity require space.
Experts say that a solar farm capable of generating 1 MWac of electricity requires four to seven acres of land.
Large-scale solar companies are stepping forward to contract with electrical power suppliers to harness the sun’s energy and are quickly establishing fields of solar panels. Meanwhile, state and local governments are left to catch up with laws or ordinances that would protect our other natural resources and the rights of property owners and neighboring residents.
Last fall, the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors suggested that municipalities develop local ordinances that address rules for site layouts, setbacks, panel height, maximum lot coverage, agricultural soils, site buffers, stormwater management, traffic impacts, battery storage, glare reduction, fire and first responder safety and site decommissioning.
That’s a lot of new ground to cover as solar developers race to the table with their proposed plans.
State lawmakers also are trying to help. A bill permitting community solar projects in which groups of people invest together to subscribe to or own a solar array moved through the state House in late March.
That bill has not received consideration in the Senate, but state senators did vote in March 2023 to approve a bill setting terms for decommission- ing solar facilities. That bill awaits action in the state House.
Another Senate proposal would prohibit the leasing of “prime agricultural land” for large-scale solar projects, suggesting instead that they be placed on abandoned strip mine lands, old industrial sites, capped landfills, or warehouse rooftops. The proposal has received no consideration since it was assigned to a Senate committee in June 2023.
As the future of solar energy continues to unfold – quickly in some cases – most people probably agree, it’s a good thing, but we want to do it right.
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