Solar Truth

There's a lot of discussion in Halifax County about the plethora of solar power facilities under construction.

Are there too many?

Are there not enough?

How much land should be consumed by solar panels?

All legitimate questions with highly divisive answers. 

And there is a lot of opposition to some of the approved solar power projects, and a dedicated movement, albeit small that want no more to be approved by the county. 

Here's some facts from the Board of Supervisors February 13, 2023 Solar Density Committee meeting.  According to this document, as of February 2023, there were 18 solar projects approved for the County.  These totaled 5,368.30 acres under panels with 9,508.92 total acres in these projects.  The percentage of County land under panels would be 1.0106% an a total allocated land to 1.790%.

With a total of 531,200 acres in the county, the numbers above seem very small.  How can there be a legitimate argument to allow stop further solar facilities.

Since February 2023, there have been a few more approved, but the pressure from some residents have, for the time being, caused the Board of Sups to pause further approvals.

Is solar power safe, green, and sustainable?  The answer to that is a resounding yes on all accounts.

Everyday there is another crackpot that posts something on the internet about the ills and woes of solar and wind energy. Most gather their data from other crackpots that have never checked a single fact in what they're saying.

Leaching deadly chemical?  The simple answer is no they don't contaminate the soil or air.  Here' some details about solar panels.

Those who are appearing at the Board of Supervisors meeting and opposing the approval of solar farms need to change their strategy and focus on the facts.

First, if the solar project has been approved, and construction started, the train has left the station, and no amount of opposition will change it going forward.  Rather opposition will just create ill will with the developers and end in an ugly stalemate.

If a group is going to oppose further projects being approved, then sobeit, but make the argument using science and facts,  The only legitimate reason for stopping further solar projects is to preserve the land that would be used to construct the power facilities.

Stop talking about harmful chemicals and contaminated drinking water.  Stop talking about absorbing light and radiating heat into the atmosphere.  

Just focus on land preservation and limits to the amount of land under panels.  My view is that we have not reached such a limit and 5% would be a fair stopping point for now.

The problem we have in the County, the Commonwealth, and the country as a whole comes down to simple facts, we are burying our heads in the sand hoping that climate change is a hoax when it is not,  Climate change and global warming is a reality that is showing itself every day.  And, we are fighting back against the tide of technology that shows solar, wind and nuclear power to be the only solution to long tern electric power needs.

The U. S. is woefully behind much of the world when it comes to renewable energy sources.  You only need travel to Europe, and look at the wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources to see that we need to catch up.

Think about the future and our grandchildren.  Thankfully we have an Administration that is focused on the importance of stopping the effects of climate change before it's too late.