Following discussions about the state of solar development in the County, Sussex County Council approves three more solar farm projects.
Sussex County Council held discussions this month about how solar farm applicants may struggle to go from permit approval to functioning farm.
This week, Council heard applications for three more, just outside of Milton, where concerns from council remained the same- visibility and community impact.
Council President Douglas Hudson voiced visibility questions with one application proposed for off of Route 24.
“In the one photo, going back looking at that wood line from the road- it looks like they’re pretty much deciduous trees. The extra that you’re planting, will they be evergreens? Because, you’re looking at this in full out spring or summertime, everything is mature and grown in. In the wintertime, you’d probably be able to look right through it. ” he said.
Aside from potential red tape in County code, backlash from community members over environmental, visual, and auditory impacts has been sited as one challenge to building solar farms by the developers who bring them.
Meanwhile, Gov. Matt Meyer announced an effort to expedite the process of developing four “community solar” projects in the state, including two in Sussex County.
Community arrays offer their energy to local customers in an effort to reduce energy bills without the need for rooftop panels.
And Zac Meyer, Director of Development with Soltage DE DevCo, says their newly approved project outside of Milton offers the same benefits.
“This project, we believe, would be -depending on energy usage- over 700 residential households. Once the project is operational, they will receive a discount on their existing Delmarva power and light bill.” he told council.
Meyer says that discount is expected to be 10% on average, but could run higher or lower based on a home's energy usage.
County Council approved each of the applications unanimously, with the condition they address visual concerns like those raised by Hudson.
These developments join the 60 or so conditional use permits Sussex County already approved for solar farms.
