Politics Block Farmers From Growing Solar

New farmland harvest – solar energy – creating political sparks

Jan Ellen Spiegel, February 21, 2017 (CT Mirror)

“…[Farms around Connecticut can relieve economic pressure by hosting solar projects but face an emerging] controversy over siting solar on farm and forestland…pitting farmer against farmer and environmental interest groups against one another, putting state departments at odds, and raising the always explosive issue of private property rights versus state policy…[It is] a collision of two well-intentioned environmental policies. One pushes and provides financial incentives for more renewable power – solar being the vastly favored choice in Connecticut. The other preserves farmland and forestland for agriculture and open space…Farmland is clear, well-drained, usually large, often south-facing – just what solar needs…[It] tends to be less expensive for solar developers…[but the land] is a finite resource…[Compromise legislation] would inventory available land and other facilities to determine which are best suited for solar…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet