Sussex County Council defers action on an application for a solar panel array near Selbyville.
RWE Clean Energy’s 69-acre proposed array was before County Council after the Sussex Planning and Zoning commission recommended conditional approval. The project was first heard by the Sussex Planning and Zoning commission in February.
RWE Clean Energy’s Senior Project Manager Joe Shanahan says their project will only take up 24 and a half acres at this site.
“In other words, this project would utilize only 35% of the land owned by our landlord. The remaining 65% will continue to be used as the family has for generations." he said.
Those opposing the project also argue the array would release toxic materials into the ground it’s built in, preventing that land from ever being farmed again.
Other critics support solar arrays, but believe this location is not appropriate because it could disrupt the Cypress swamp land’s critical breeding area for wildlife.
Shanahan argues that concerns their project would disrupt farming on that parcel are unfounded, arguing they’re actually doing the opposite.
“In fact, the rent that the landowner will receive from the solar project will subsidize the costs associated with the remaining 45 acres of farmland, helping to ensure that farmland will not have to be displaced or developed.” he said.
He adds their solar array does not use toxic materials like lithium batteries, so is not a risk to contaminate the grounds it's built on.
Council voted unanimously to table a decision to a later date.
