Solar Development on Reclaimed Mining Sites: A Former Mining Geologist Weighs In

By |2023-01-04T15:07:44-05:00December 15th, 2022|Land Use, Landowners, Uncategorized, Virginia Solar|

There’s been a lot of buzz around solar development on reclaimed mining sites—which usually qualify as brownfields—since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August of 2022. In Virginia, at least, that interest pre-dates the IRA, and at least two projects on former coal mining sites were announced prior to August 2022. SolUnesco has been exploring post-coal mining solar opportunities in Virginia for some time, and that, coupled with my own geotechnical mining experience, might offer a unique perspective

A larger footprint allows for maximum flexibility

By |2021-08-31T08:32:52-04:00August 31st, 2021|Land Use, Virginia Solar|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team One of the most frequent questions we receive is: Why do you need so much land for your solar project? The quick answer? Flexibility. Similar to more familiar projects like a new commercial building, retail space, or school building, localities often have zoning requirements for a site in order to accommodate parking, emergency access, and setbacks to adjacent roadways and properties. Solar projects are no different. Beyond the requirements, SolUnesco designs its projects to

Are solar projects cost competitive with traditional energy sources?

By |2021-05-12T10:40:21-04:00May 12th, 2021|Uncategorized, Virginia Solar|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team Despite the relative newness of solar energy deployment as a major source of electricity generation in the United States, solar is now cost competitive with conventional sources of electricity that have long powered our economy. Increased demand for solar energy alongside rapid improvements in technology have led to a 90% decrease in the cost per megawatt hour of energy generated by solar since 2009. [1] This decrease in cost alongside efforts by large corporate

Are Solar Projects Safe for the Environment?

By |2021-04-14T13:40:03-04:00April 14th, 2021|Land Use, Virginia Solar|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team We’ve heard concerns from people about contamination during construction of Randolph Solar and the safety of solar panels for soils, streams, and wells. Recent advances in technology allow for solar panels to be installed on up to a 15-degree slope which eliminates the need to flatten existing topography. This minimizes land disturbances during construction. Additionally, the developers of Randolph Solar will follow permitting requirements from Southside Soil and Water Conservation District and Virginia Department

Who Does this Project Benefit?

By |2021-04-07T13:10:44-04:00April 7th, 2021|Land Use, Virginia Solar|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team Yes, Randolph Solar will benefit property owners whose land is being used, but it will also benefit all residents of Charlotte County. Randolph Solar will bring substantial new tax revenue to the county, benefit numerous local businesses, and employ several hundred people during construction (about 1 ½ to 2 years). The construction of Randolph Solar represents an investment of more than $600 million in what is expected to be the largest taxpayer in the

Why Charlotte County?

By |2021-02-25T11:32:39-05:00February 25th, 2021|Virginia Solar|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team The proposed Randolph Solar Project will be located generally south of Saxe, east of Randolph, and west of Wylliesburg. It is anticipated that more than half of the land will be open space and not occupied by solar panels and equipment. Several factors are considered when choosing a site for solar projects: Close proximity to existing transmission lines Relatively flat topography Abundant, consistent exposure to sunlight Sufficient amount of land that is available Property

Solar Technology Basics: How to Safely Turn Sunlight into Energy

By |2021-02-18T16:05:17-05:00February 18th, 2021|Land Use, Virginia Solar|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team Solar technology is a proven and safe method to convert free sunlight into electricity for household consumption. The solar panels, mounted on a racking system, turn sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity that is than converted by a DC/AC inverter to alternating current (AC). A transformer increases the voltage for transmission and distribution of the electricity using existing transmission lines for delivery to customers. Solar panels are generally composed of commonly used building materials,

Hear what local business owners have to say about solar

By |2021-02-10T10:08:03-05:00February 10th, 2021|Virginia Solar|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team Recently we posted a blog post about the benefits of solar to Charlotte County and the local community. Don’t just take our word for it, read what small business owners in Southside Virginia have to say about the benefits that they have seen from other solar projects in the region: "Solar construction has brought a big boom to Chase City's local merchants. The motel has been full for a year and a half, RV parking

Randolph Solar will benefit Charlotte County and the local community

By |2021-02-10T09:55:57-05:00February 2nd, 2021|Industry, Virginia Solar, Workforce Development|

By The Randolph Solar Development Team Increased tax revenue, hundreds of jobs and increased revenue to landowners – solar projects provide many direct and indirect economic benefits in a community. Here are just some benefits Randolph Solar, if approved, brings to the local community in Charlotte County: Increased local income during construction includes tens of millions spent on labor and materials. Indirect economic benefits during construction include workers spending money locally at restaurants, shops, conveniences stores, gas stations, etc. This

Solar Neighbors: Safe, Quiet, and Low-Impact Renewable Energy

By |2020-12-15T14:41:06-05:00December 15th, 2020|Land Use, Virginia Solar|

By Lea Maamari and Melody S. Gee Melody S. Gee is a business and technical writer in St. Louis, MO. We in the solar industry receive many questions about a solar facility’s components, how Utility-Scale solar will impact the surrounding communities, and what effects solar equipment technology might have on the environment.   Today, we’re bringing you answers from the latest research on solar technology, installation processes, operations, and more. Bottom line, solar is one of the safest, if not the safest, technologies producing electricity and as a land use results in an inconsequential impact.  Solar was first deployed by the

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