Merchant, Emma Foehringer. “Even in Coal-Heavy Kentucky, Corporations Can’t Stay Away From Solar Power.” Greentech Media, Greentech Media, 3 Mar. 2020, www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/a-big-solar-project-in-coal-heavy-kentucky-hints-at-growing-corporate-demand.

The state of Kentucky, which gets 75% of its power from coal, is seeing a steady rise in solar power across the board. Two of the largest coal plants that will shut down in 2020 are in Kentucky. Solar may not become substantial in the state for a few years however, as natural gas facilities are still slated to operate for many years. Nevertheless, solar is creeping its way into states most reliant on coal. One of the main drivers of this new spread is corporate demand. The cost of solar is slowly falling, and it’s catching the eye of large companies looking to cut energy costs. This need fuels the construction of more solar panels everywhere. As corporate officials and municipal lawmakers begin to work together to fund solar installations, the spread of solar grows around the country.

I think that as solar makes its way into states that are more reliant on coal, the situation gets better even faster. The article stated that Kentucky’s coal history museum switched to solar power back in 2017 to save money and I thought that was not only ironic, but also representative of the entire situation. Companies are taking advantage of the falling costs of solar power, and they’re working hand in hand with cities to cut energy costs. This is extremely beneficial for solar power as an industry because when you’re backed by corporations, the only way you can go is up.

McElhinny, Brad. “After Lengthy Debate, House Overwhelmingly Passes Solar Energy Bill.” WV MetroNews, Metro News, 3 Mar. 2020, wvmetronews.com/2020/03/03/369137/.

West Virginia, a state with no power coming from solar, and only about 2% coming from hydro and wind, was the main topic of a bill passed through the house recently regarding the implementation of solar and its effect on the coal and natural gas industry. According to the article, about 90% of West Virginia’s energy comes from coal, with 8% coming from natural gas. Lawmakers were concerned with the possible effects of solar on the coal and natural gas industry, especially because many of West Virginia’s citizens work in those industries. However, the majority of them agreed that changes should be made and the bill passed 75-23.

This is progress. I think that the people of West Virginia have every right to be doubtful and concerned about the impact solar could have on the coal industry, especially because so many of their livelihoods are attached to it. However, progress always comes with a price, and if it means that the coal industry suffers, I’m supporting it. If states like West Virginia can start using solar, any state can, and that’s why I think that solar is going to be our main source of power in the coming decades, because it’s the most abundant, and because the technology is getting cheaper, the people are accepting it, and the country is getting sunnier.

Dirr, Alison. “Closed Landfill to Become Massive Milwaukee Green Energy Project with 7,000 Solar Panels.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2020, www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2020/03/05/milwaukee-makes-deal-convert-landfill-into-solar-energy-showcase/4962754002/.

A recently closed landfill in Milwaukee will be converted into a small solar farm capable of producing around 2.25 megawatts. The farm, Milwaukee’s largest solar project in its history, will provide power for around 460 homes and contribute to Milwaukee’s goal of getting 25% of their electricity from clean sources by 2025. The mayor also stated that other types of development over the landfill weren’t as attractive to citizens. Finally, the farm is being built next to the 128th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard, which will help the base with emergency preparedness. Should the electrical grid go down for any reason during an emergency, all power from the solar farm will be diverted to the station.

This story is so relevant to what we’ve been working on recently in class, as it is an example of what we can do with land that covers a closed landfill. Because it’s not an area that city planners would want to put businesses or homes, it normally goes unused. This makes it the perfect location for a solar farm. It avoids the NIMB situation because the area is already bad enough to look at, and if anything, the presence of solar panels improves it. Furthermore, closed landfills are something every city has, which means that there are places every city can install solar.

Bloom, Betsy. “Mining the Sun?: Groveland Mine Could Be Solar Energy Site.” Mining the Sun?: Groveland Mine Could Be Solar Energy Site | News, Sports, Jobs – The Daily News, The Daily News, 8 Mar. 2020, www.ironmountaindailynews.com/news/local-news/2020/03/mining-the-sun-groveland-mine-could-be-solar-energy-site/.

Officials in Michigan are planning to convert a brownfield site to a solar farm capable of producing hundreds of megawatts. The former mining area has been deemed a suitable location for a large solar farm after multiple failed attempts to farm timber. The land was previously used as amine, with a large number of ‘iron tailings,’ leftover minerals from the iron mining process. These made the land inhospitable for trees and thus, attempts at timber farming failed. A concern about the project that was quickly nullified by officials was the farm’s effect on surrounding recreation. Officials stated that it would have next to no effect on recreation including snowmobile trails and the four surrounding manmade lakes and ponds that dot the landscape. Finally, it’s estimated that the farm will help homeowners with more affordable electricity in a region of Michigan with electricity costs 67% higher than the state average.

I think this farm is going to be another win for clean energy. Unlike many other solar farms, this one doesn’t appear to encroach on any space, nor will it upset any residents. I think this area, which would otherwise go unused, is a perfect place for solar panels to be installed. I also think that it will be extremely beneficial to residents because it’ll reduce costs for their electricity. It’s yet another step forward for a state that doesn’t have much momentum going behind solar energy.

Narciso, Dean. “Solar Energy’s Boon to Some Is Nuisance to Others.” The Columbus Dispatch, The Columbus Dispatch, 8 Mar. 2020, www.dispatch.com/news/20200308/solar-energys-boon-to-some-is-nuisance-to-others.

A 1500 acre solar panel installation has been planned in Madison County, Ohio, to mixed reception among its residents. Some are very excited about the new power supply, with the only complaints of one man wishing that he owned more of the land where the panels will be located. However, not all reactions to the plans have been warm. One resident of Madison County, whose house and property will be bordered on three sides by the new installation, wasn’t happy with the new changes. She expressed concerns over how her view would look, even though officials from First Solar, the company installing the panels, assured her that they would be hardly visible. Others were concerned with the integrity of the land, in the sense that it was lost farming land. Despite these concerns, this solar farm, capable of providing 196 megawatts of power, is still going forward and will bring the county another $1.7 million in tax revenue annually.

I think this is another Not In My Backyard situation, where residents will put their needs, however small, before the wellbeing of the community. It’s human nature to put one’s needs before the needs of others and this is a prime example. It’s very beneficial that the majority of residents support the new solar, and because Ohio and the surrounding states are not big solar users, this could usher in a new movement for using farmland for solar in the future.

As California deals with a diminishing groundwater supply, farmers are turning to solar and wind power as a means to take up land. It seems that California’s plan to run on 100% clean energy by 2045 is coming to fruition as thousands have acres of panels that have already been built with tens of thousands more planned. Furthermore, large corporations in the agricultural industry have also embraced this change. Lynda and Stewart Resnick, who own more agricultural land than anyone else in the nation have also begun to convert the land into solar farms.

While I think this is good news, I still wonder if large swathes of agricultural land that are converted into solar farms will detrimentally affect California’s food export market. A large portion of food grown in California is exported, but if the land used to grow these products is converted, how will the economy be affected? On the flip side, I think 100% clean energy by 2045 is a little generous. It just doesn’t seem possible to get every single household, business, factory, and automobile to run on clean energy in only 25 years. It’s possible if agriculture giants like the Resnicks help make this possible, but it just doesn’t seem plausible. California is just too big of a state.

Many residents believe that solar power is the solution to power outages in California, however, this is unfortunately not the case. Just like the rest of the power grid, solar-powered homes must shut down as well. This is for safety reasons, as during a blackout, grids are empty, providing no power. If solar systems are turned on, a backflow of energy runs through the gird, and can potentially endanger any workers working on the grid.

I think that this calls the need for cheap solar batteries in California even more so than ever before. Just having solar power isn’t enough to help with the blackouts. I think this is a common misconception that everyone has about solar power. The power a home receives from solar doesn’t go directly into their supply. It goes into the grid and is then redistributed back into the home. There is a large discount because the power company essentially “buys” the energy produced by one’s solar panels. This means that all of the power produced by solar panels goes into the supply for the county, which means that it must be cut off during a blackout.

In recent months, wildfires have blazed through California prompting energy companies to cut power for millions of homeowners in an attempt to curb fires started by electrical cords. Because of this, millions of residents are looking to solar power to provide energy for their homes rather than the electrical grid. In light of this, Tesla founder Elon Musk recently revealed that he would be lowering solar power costs for customers by $1000. 

I commend Elon Musk for this, as it shows he understands how drastic the situation is in California. However, the cost of implementing one of Musk’s Solar Roofs is around 33 grand. This means that a large portion of affected people can’t afford this solar plan in the first place. I think though, that this discount by Musk sets a good example for other corporations. While infrastructure and land are important, citizens need aid too, even those that aren’t directly affected by the wildfires.

As wildfires in California become more and more prominent, they begin to affect the lives of those who are far away from the blaze. Electrical utility companies have had to shut down power to homes in California for fear of high winds causing electrical fires. This has prompted many more Californians to begin installing systems that allow the average home to become an energy “island” meaning they can continue to have power even if the grid is shut off. This power comes from batteries, which can store power from rooftop solar panels for future use. The average battery contains around 4 to 5 hours of energy for a house that does not use an excessive amount of air conditioning and does not have a pool. However, these batteries are not like the ones you can buy at a store. Each battery costs between 7 and 9 thousand dollars each, which is added to the cost of solar installation.

I am a huge fan of solar power, and I hope to see it become cheaper and more affordable for all citizens of California as well as the nation and the world. The solar battery is an asset of solar panels that could allow for completely isolated homes, energy-wise. Batteries are extremely useful for houses in California who are affected by these blackouts, however, their usefulness only extends so far. The reality is, while these batteries are useful in emergencies, emergencies and blackouts aren’t common to convince the average American to buy a battery worth seven grand. I think they’re useful for Californians as blackouts may be more common during the wildfire season, but I don’t think we’ll see widespread use until the cost goes down.

A new clause introduced by the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District would allow new homes to draw power from an existing solar farm, rather than install roof solar panels. Currently, California is the first state in the nation to require new homes to be built with rooftop solar panels, which has raised concerns over high housing costs. This goes into effect on the first day of 2020. However, this new clause, dubbed an “escape clause” is said to render this mandate completely useless. The California Energy Commission’s plan to allow builders to supply solar power from offsite solar farms has been heavily disputed by rooftop solar companies. For example, many have argued that drawing power from an offsite farm drastically reduces savings from solar power. However, supporters of the proposal have countered, saying that off-grid solar supply reduces housing costs.

I believe that in the short term, it may be more realistic to have more homes draw power from a solar farm. Housing prices in California are already extremely high, and solar energy is still a developing -and expensive- technology. A large portion of the California population can hardly afford the home they live in, and any newcomers or potential home buyers would definitely be turned away because of monstrous housing costs. However, as solar technology improves and becomes cheaper, I believe mandating solar energy on all homes is definitely plausible. California is a very sunny state, and if solar energy becomes affordable for the average Californian, it would be easy to implement it statewide.