Many communities have concerns about the effects of solar development on their beautiful land. Farmers and ranchers know their land like the back of their hand and when they want to diversify their operation with solar, we trust them to pursue these projects with the health of the land in mind.
Safe Technology
Solar energy technology has advanced drastically over the past few years, driving down costs by increasing efficiency. While panels produced today harvest more energy from sunshine than panels produced even last year, the technology has been around for decades. Solar tech is also safer and more durable than before, and panels are often warrantied for 25 to 30 years. Millions of Americans trust solar panels on their own roof; solar projects make for safe neighbors.
Safe for Land
Solar projects often rent land for a term of 30-40 years. After construction, the best projects plant native Virginia grasses and pollinator species under the panels which can help to heal the land and rejuvenate soils. Oftentimes, land used for solar projects is left in better shape at the end of the project compared to the beginning. Effective engineering plans accounting for stormwater and erosion concerns helps the land stays where it’s supposed to be.
Safe for Wildlife
Too often, development and land practices ignore habitat and wildlife concerns. Clearing land of trees for harvest or plowing land for farms tend to disrupt the wildlife that call an area home. Outside of fenced areas, good projects incorporate wildlife corridors and preserve surrounding areas like wetlands and buffer areas for habitat. Aside from utilizing acreage, solar projects have little effect on wildlife. Increasingly, sheep are brought into projects to graze under panels to keep vegetation in check naturally while enjoying the shade the panels cast.
