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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

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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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New Report Details Major Economic Impacts of Solar

By |2020-02-20T11:46:02-05:00February 20th, 2020|Industry, Policy, Virginia Solar|

By Francis Hodsoll and Melody S. Gee Melody S. Gee is a business and technical writer in St. Louis, MO. Richmond-based Mangum Economics has just released an in-depth analysis of the the fiscal impact of utility-scale solar facilities over projects’ 35-year lifetime. The detailed report examines factors driving solar development and how Virginia localities are impacted. The surge in solar interest is notably reflected in the rise in megawatt hours generated. According to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, solar facilities

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How SolUnesco Became One of Virginia’s Leading Solar Developers

By |2019-08-22T14:46:54-04:00August 22nd, 2019|Company Update, Virginia Solar|

by Francis Hodsoll, Jon Hillis and Melody S. Gee Melody S. Gee is a business and technical writer in St. Louis, MO. Next spring, SolUnesco will celebrate five years as one of our state’s leading solar developers. As we reflect on our growth and the excitement of upcoming projects, we wanted to share the story of our beginnings: two passionate developers, a well-timed market opportunity, and deep commitment to best practices. Seizing Opportunity from the Beginning In 2015, Jon Hillis

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Our State Legislature’s Role in a Clean Energy Future

By |2019-05-29T12:57:32-04:00May 29th, 2019|Company Update, Industry, Land Use, Policy, Virginia Solar|

A Panel Presentation Recap from the 2019 Tom Tom Summit and Festival by Francis Hodsoll and Melody S. Gee Melody S. Gee is a business and technical writer in St. Louis, MO. This April, SolUnesco CEO, Francis Hodsoll, moderated and presented on a panel at the Tom Tom Summit and Festival in Charlottesville. This annual event brings together a diverse group of thought leaders to discuss a revitalized approach to civic life and community, and this year devoted an entire

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A Trifecta of SolUnesco Announcements

By |2018-10-10T12:40:46-04:00October 10th, 2018|Company Update, Industry, Virginia Solar|

They say good things come in threes. The SolUnesco team has worked hard all summer and has achieved a hattrick of exciting news to report. SolUnesco Partners with Apex Clean Energy On Sept 4, 2018, SolUnesco inked an agreement with Apex Clean Energy that resulted in the sale of 390 MW of SolUnesco’s pipeline. This agreement affects four projects: Carvers Creek, Moody Creek, Red Brick, and Rivanna, each of which ranges from 11 to 150 MWac. SolUnesco will continue to

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Challenges and Opportunities in Virginia’s Solar Energy

By |2018-10-02T14:37:24-04:00October 2nd, 2018|Company Update, Industry, Land Use, Virginia Solar|

This past week, SolUnesco’s CEO , participated in a session entitled “The Rubin Group: Lessons from Virginia at Solar Power International. During the session, Hodsoll discussed how Virginia has rapidly become a clean energy state. In addition, Hodsoll discussed the challenges and opportunities that still exist for solar energy development in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia’s Painfully Slow Start Francis outlined three key interrelated challenges that the industry is facing: Inertia: Virginia is inhibited by an outdated regulatory system that

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SolUnesco White Paper: Solar Myths Busted

By |2018-06-20T13:19:46-04:00February 8th, 2018|Industry, Land Use, Virginia Solar|

Background This white paper is a companion piece to our two previous blogs on local permitting (Hodsoll and Maughan). In our local permitting blogs we provided our perspectives on best practices for local permitting and how we engage with the local community. We write this white paper to discuss some of the issues and concerns that are raised by the community during this process. All of us engaged in the industry have heard the naysayer’s arguments. From the most bizarre

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Solar Power Southeast: Does Passion + Wisdom = Resilience?

By |2018-03-05T20:43:18-05:00May 31st, 2017|Company Update, Industry, Southeast, Virginia Solar|

Despite scary challenges, strength and optimism While the Suniva trade case – potentially a devastating price increase especially for utility-scale – loomed largely, attendees eagerly packed presentations.  The audience’s questions provided an interesting barometer to the psyche in the room.  Participants focused on where we are going and how to get there.  Further, the evolving business models continue to pry open market segments.  We are tenacious! Even in markets dominated by utilities such as Florida Power & Light, some competitors

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The Latest Buzz: Solar Farms as Pollinator Sanctuaries

By |2018-08-10T10:52:04-04:00April 26th, 2017|Industry, Policy|

Overview Pollinators, such as honeybees and butterflies, are the unsung heroes of agriculture. However, their populations have been collapsing in recent years, creating a crisis for farmers who depend on them. Solar developers have started creating habitat sanctuaries to help reverse this trend.

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