[Massplanners] Solar Array Info

[Jeff Lacy]

Doing the “solar math,” 200 kWh is about an acre’s worth of space. So this one is less than an acre - very small (and much smaller than most solar “farms” I’ve seen). A residential lot might be a comparable amount of disturbance. Why such concern over an acre of renewable energy generation?

Jeff Lacy 
Rural Planning Associates 
(413) 230-9693

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 7, 2022, at 10:09 AM, Laura Harbottle via MassPlanners <massplanners at masscptc.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Good morning Massplanners,
> Thank you so much for the help with issues concerning a proposed solar array. The size of what is proposed here is actually 184 kWh. But even a small array will still potentially impact natural resources and have public safety considerations. 
> 
> I heard from one city and seven towns, most outside Route 495. In case this is helpful to any of you, here are the issues they talked about grouped roughly by general subject:
> 
> Visibility from the street; setbacks
> 
> Removal of trees (Four towns mentioned this.) 
> Fencing around solar arrays can interrupt wildlife corridors (Two towns mentioned this.) 
> Net reduction in available agricultural soils
> Stormwater generated when the array is constructed and from the panels themselves. One town had topsoil stripped and sold by the solar developer with ongoing erosion issues post-construction. Several towns were concerned about the impact of stormwater on nearby wetlands.
> Some towns have required adding several inches of loam after construction and planting wildflower mix or pollinator species to prevent erosion and mitigate loss of habitat. Inspections are being required during construction to make sure stormwater is being properly handled.  
> 
> Public Safety departments are concerned with flammable materials in the storage batteries (Two towns mentioned this.) 
> There should be emergency access to the panels (within the fenced area.)   
> 
> Multiple towns talked about getting a performance bond to guarantee construction and as a guarantee if decommissioning was necessary.  
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Laura Harbottle AICP
> Interim Town Planner
> 5 Springdale Ave.
> Dover, MA 02030
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