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Thread: Why would this be an issue - Solar Farms

  1. #1
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Why would this be an issue - Solar Farms

    Lancaster prepares for moratorium on solar farms


    Two public hearings -- targeting solar energy farms and flag lots -- were approved by Lancaster lawmakers Tuesday night.
    A six-month moratorium on solar farm development was proposed by Councilmember John Abraham Jr. to review zoning regulations and determine revisions and amendments to the town zoning code.
    "We're not saying that no solar can be done," Council member Matthew J. Walter said. "It's just about the farms."
    http://buffalonews.com/2017/02/22/la...ime=1487767015



    Why would this make any difference. For the most part most town boards allow developers to use cheap farmland for houses or strip malls.

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    WNY, one of the issues has to do with responsibility for removal costs when the project ultimately fails. This has always been one the problems with cell towers...what happens to the tower if/when it's abandoned? Often a removal bond is required but the tower owners & cell companies are notorious for letting the bonds lapse with no notice to the land owner or host community.

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Same could be said with vacant buildings that sit for years. I think removed the panels would be much easier than a cell tower or empty strip mall.

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    Money - they fought and stalled the cell tower issues for the same reason - Control.

    While they ran the temporary moratorium for Cell Towers - They created rules/laws where the Town controlled tower locations. They made it so they could only be located on Town Controlled sites. The only exceptions was for one of their favorite developer who got his permits approved.

    Solar panels have no removal issues - they are easily assembled and disassembled. They solar farms built lately haven't failed any where - try a site a location where they have been abandoned - that doesn't happen.

    Its all about the Town getting paid first and control.
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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    Actually, 4248, the town can try to force cell towers onto town property but they'll be sol if the propogation studies show that the sites won't fill service gaps. Just so you know, solar panels don't remove themselves. Somebody actually has to remove them which means somebody has to pay to remove them.

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    Your chasing a straw man with that nonissue. I just stated what the Town leaders did in the past. They blocked private residents from having the financial opportunity of having cell towers.

    As you know - because you couldn't find an example of an abandoned solar farm - the abandonment issues is a farce.

    What they are most likely doing is building money(tax) making codes and permits. They will try to find ways to make money off any proposed solar farms and solar locations.

    That's what tax hungry Governments do. When they bring forth their resolutions - we will see. Don't be surprised if they want us to build one ! If they have any common sense that's what they should do - gain some offset by powering some of the Towns properties.

    Just leave the home owners alone - what if a person has the space and wants to put in some yard panels ? Is that now gonna be regulated by the Town ? Will you be charged fees/taxes for having them ? Why should you even need a permit ? If a system is installed and inspected by a state licesenced installer - why does the Town need to be involved at all ?
    Last edited by 4248; February 25th, 2017 at 05:48 PM.
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    That's what tax hungry Governments do. When they bring forth their resolutions - we will see. Don't be surprised if they want us to build one ! If they have any common sense that's what they should do - gain some offset by powering some of the Towns properties.
    Nope. Pay back takes far too long.. Seems the only way there is payback is if you get subsidized with tax credits.... correct? And by the time you are free and clear it's time to replace the panels. The roof tile on the other hand is cool because you are going to replace your roof anyways.

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    4248, there's a huge solar facility (at least 1) in California that may have already gone broke. It was teetering last summer. And the product is so uneconomical that companies making the panels etc are failing all over the place. And even our own beloved Solar City looks like it's headed for the dumper before long. One thing seems for sure, those thousands of jobs we were promised are the pipe dream almost everyone with half a brain knew they were. Your town is preventing private property holders from hosting cell towers? Well, if there's a gap in coverage in your town and it can only be filled by a tower on private property my money is on the cell company and the land owner over your mighty town board when the judges finally get hold of it.

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    Member gorja's Avatar
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    PG&E Pilot Solar Plant
    Kerman, California

    Near the town of Kerman, California, sits the new Five Points Solar site, the direct descendent of Pacific Gas & Electric’s pilot solar plant in Kerman, demolished in 2011. The 10-acre site was built in 1992, retired in 1997, and its panels were removed 14 years later after neighbors complained.

    http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles...wind-and-light

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Member gorja's Avatar
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    I do like seeing the board being proactive rather than reactive.

    Georgia L Schlager

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    To clarify - I am talking about new solar farms of the privately owned level. Yes some largers wind farms and few solar farms of mega size failed years ago. Mainly for two reasons - some were "Pump and dump" projects like Solyndra. They were built by developers who received hundreds of millions in start up funding and government loans. They failed once the subsidies ran out - many were built using high cost unproven systems.

    The costs today for solar panels have plunged to its lowest cost ever. You can start a "home size" set up for under twenty grand. Most of the stuff you hear about are "lease to own" - those operations have taken most of the profit out - that's why it takes so long to just break even.

    When the government was giving people "rebates" that was the best deal going. You could have a system put in and get 80% of that money rebated directly to you over a three year period.

    Now they have created this new business model where you get energy credits and tax right offs. That's what's killing the industry for home owner installations. Plus you now have the new "line charges" - which further reduces your profits - and the government allows the utility company to pay you less than whole sale for your excess. In most areas the Government is stipulating your system must be tied to the grid. This forces you to sell your excess to the utility company.

    Some states like texas still allows you to sell excess at retail - no line charges. In Nevada they have driven out the smaller home level installers with all the fees and no rebates.

    My brother has been a solar installer for about 15 years in Nevada - now he's in Texas. Another great idea the government regulated to benefit the energy companies and strangle the little guy.

    Solar is growing nationwide and globally like wild fire - that's why Government and the utilities are rushing to get their regulations in place. They all want their piece of the action - just google "Solar India"

    Here's one of the projects in California - Google "Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System"
    Last edited by 4248; February 27th, 2017 at 12:21 AM.
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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    4248, Ivanpah is teetering on the verge of financial collapse. The industry is growing like crazy? Really? One company after another is failing, the people peddling this stuff are the new millennium equivalent of "college students" peddling magazine subscriptions door to door in the 1960's, our own beloved Solar City being whacked away at by its owners. Wave of the future!

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    Your statement is narrow and invalid according to todays products and science.
    Thanks


    This might help:

    Duke Energy Indiana's first solar power plant now producing clean, renewable energy for customers
    February 27, 2017

    PLAINFIELD, Ind. – Duke Energy Indiana’s first large-scale solar power plant is now in commercial service and sending clean, renewable solar energy to customers throughout its 69-county service territory.
    The plant, which can generate as much as 17 megawatts of alternating current power, is located at Naval Support Activity Crane (NSA Crane), approximately 40 miles south of Bloomington, Ind.
    When operating at full capacity, the solar power plant can provide electricity for more than 2,700 average-size homes.
    “This is a landmark development in renewable energy for our company and our customers,” said Melody Birmingham-Byrd, state president, Duke Energy Indiana. “It demonstrates our continuing commitment to include renewable energy, such as solar, wind and hydro, in our diversified portfolio of generation sources.”
    The plant comprises approximately 76,000 solar panels on about 145 acres of land the company has leased from the Department of the Navy (DON). This solar facility contributed to the DON meeting its goal to bring one gigawatt of renewable energy into procurement by the end of 2015.https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/releases-20170227
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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    4248, solar is a proven loser. That's simply the way it is. Who set the goal for the Navy to produce a gigawatt of renewable energy? Was it Obama who was handing out billions to campaign contributors under the guise of alternate energy sources? Call me odd but I would rather have the Navy protecting America and trade routes than pissing away millions on solar panels. How many jobs do you think Solarcity in Riverbend is going to produce? I've been told by people whose backgrounds I consider impeccable that this is shaping up as a scam where the state will buy the solar panels through "cutouts" and just stack them in piles because no one wants them and Il Douche has so much riding on it.

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    I appreciate your opinions on solar energy - as there are so many ways one can see this. I wont debate all that with you any more - it comes down to your opinions for your stand or mine.

    My primary comment was to address why the Town is holding a moratorium and how they will try and turn it into a money grab/taxes/fees and restricted use codes.

    Thank You !
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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