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“Ours is a small town and we all know each other and our efforts are not against our neighbors,” said Executive Director Will Mayer. Clark Coalitionopposition group. He added that the project could eclipse the agricultural use of the region, which has already lost cultivated land due to other forms of development.
One of the projects is supported by Swift Current, which has proposed a 1,200-acre solar farm there. Mr Birchby said the company is working with residents to address their concerns, adding that the project will have a “minimal” impact on their views.
“We want to make sure that any project we develop can be a good long-term neighbor and member of the community,” he said.
The other project in Clark County is being developed by Geenex Solar and EDF Renewables. Both companies declined to reveal details, but Kara W. Price, senior vice president of permits and development at Geenex, said in an email, that “when the two companies are ready to present our potential project to Clark County officials and the community, it will be done very publicly.” and will provide many opportunities for discussion and input.”
Robert Jeffries, director of planning and community development for Winchester, Ky., the largest municipality in the jurisdiction of Clark County, said that due to public concerns, local government at the end of summer denied permits for both projects until a comprehensive plan was made. on land use.
To address residents’ concerns, some developers are adding screens to avoid blocking views and contribute to the community being good neighbors. Others seek to create pollinator habitats in and around the panels, and some create suitable areas for grazing.
Another solution for developers is agrivoltaics, a technology that allows land to be used for both agriculture and solar power. Already in limited use in Europe, including some French vineyards, agrivoltaics are being tested in the United States by developers such as BlueWave Solar, who are putting their raised panels in Boston for use in Grafton, Mass. BlueWave co-founder and president John DeVillars said to start a pilot program to improve blueberry production in Maine.
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