Safe Land Use

Time and time again, Solar has proven to be a safe use of land when it's developed properly. Its compatibility in rural landscapes expands to safety for wildlife and weather events.
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Energy Security

Solar energy generated here in Virginia will provide stable and secure energy source in supply and cost, lessening our demand for other sources of energy.
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Property Rights

Your right to use your property how you please is a fundamental right as an American. Property rights should be preserved so long as one is not hurting a neighbor.
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Economic Growth

Solar projects should prioritize local business to lift  local economies. Like any power plant, solar projects pay county taxes, and these tax dollars should be invested wisely to help the community in the long term.
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Solar Myth Busting

Myth: Lowered property values

Q: Will a solar project hurt neighbors' property values?

A: Well screened projects DO NOT affect property values.

Many studies have shown that large scale solar farms do not have a negative impact on property values to adjacent landowners. There has been no evidence of an impact to the sale of agricultural or residential property adjacent to large scale solar farms.

Solar’s Impact on Rural Property Values – The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers

Solar and Property Value – The Solar Energy Industry Association

An Exploration of Property-Value Impacts Near Utility-Scale Solar Installations – The University of Texas at Austin

Myth: Solar Recyclability

Q: What happens to the solar panels once a project is being decommissioned? Can they be recycled?

A: Yes, solar panels can be recycled or repurposed at the end of their useful life.

“By weight, most solar panels are around 80 percent glass and aluminum which are easy components to recycle at general-purpose recycling centers. Solar panels also contain at least one rare or precious metal which may be recycled at the end of its useful life. Metal racking, framing, copper wire, and other equipment may offer scrap value that can offset decommissioning costs.” – CCEBA Solar Decommissioning Fact Sheet

Circular economy priorities for photovoltaics in the energy transition – PLOS One Journal

Evaluation of potential health and environmental impacts from end-of-life disposal of photovoltaics- NOVA Science Publishers

​End-of-Life Management for Solar Photovoltaics: Recycling

Myth: Toxic Waste Leaching from Panels

Q: Do solar panels leach toxic materials and pollute the environment?

A: NO.

There are no studies indicating negative health impacts from a solar project site. The compounds within solar panels – Cadmium Telluride, Silicon, and others – do not leech (or escape/leak) from panels even during extreme weather conditions that damage panels (see Virginia Tech study). Materials inside a solar panel are solid and fully encapsulated in tempered glass. 

Health and Safety Impacts of Solar Photovoltaics – North Carolina State Extension

Assessment of the Risks Associated with Thin Film Solar Panel Technology -The Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research​

Myth: Heat Islands

Q: Will a solar project create a heat wave or heat island over the land on which it is located?

A: No, studies have not shown any significant increase in temperatures over and around a solar facility.

Research indicates that any heat around or immediately above a solar project quickly dissipates. With the temperature dropping after sunset, it is very unlikely a heat island could occur as the system completely cools overnight. Solar panels operate more efficiently at lower temperatures, and it is in the best interest of solar project owners to keep temperatures lower with vegetative ground cover.

Analysis of the Potential for a Heat Island Effect in Large Solar Farms – Columbia University 

  • Safe Land Use
        • The report focuses on Tennessee, estimating current and future land use for PV production, and considers the impact on farmland, projecting that by 2035, up to 103,443 acres may be needed for PV installations if TVA wants to meet its goals. 
        • This article uses the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus framework to delineate three different perspectives of solar energy development on farmland. Trade-offs, synergies, and compromises that showcase how agriculture and solar can coexist, succeed, and thrive in all situations.
  • Energy Security
        • This study showcases renewable energy’s resilience with regards to traditional energy’s reliance. This involves diversification of project types (solar, wind, hydro, ect.,) and easy, rapid deployment of these energy sources to areas in need.
      • The Role of Renewable Energy in National Security: American Council on Renewable Energy, October 2018
        • The study provides an in-depth look at the range of qualities renewable energy offers in support of a resilient and secure electricity system. Renewables, mainly solar, have been recognized for years by national security experts, the U.S. Congress and a host of senior officials at the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
  • Property Rights
  • Property Rights, Armen A. Alchian, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, n.d.
        • In this article, Dr. Alchian discusses the integral relationship between economic growth and property rights. In this article, readers can learn about why it is essential to protect property rights if we seek to continually innovate and grow our economy.
  • Economic Growth
        • This article finds that “all parts of the solar value chain – investors, solar developers, construction contractors, solar panel and component manufacturers – are creating jobs and providing landowners, workers and towns across North Carolina with income and tax revenue”. This article goes to show that not only do solar projects generate tax revenue, they help to inject millions of dollar into local and state level economies.
      • This article examines the likely economic impact of Illinois projected 2025 Solar PV capacity. THey find that Solar PV in the state would likely generate up to 131,000 construction jobs and 6000 jobs during operational years. This speaks to the capacity for solar pv to comprehensively impact local and state economies.

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