Eastern Shore may host largest solar farm in world
After a crucial vote last week by the Northampton Board of Supervisors cleared the way for large-scale solar power installations in the County, the Eastern Shore News reports that a Pennsylavnia company plans to build the world’s largest solar farm there. Community Energy Inc., which currently leases more than 100 acres in Tasley, says it will build the largest solar farm in the world on more than 400 acres that it will eventually lease in the area.
‘We’re here on the Eastern Shore because the insolation (a measure of solar radiation energy received on a given surface area in a given time) is some of the highest on the East Coast,’ said Community Energy spokesman Bill Finch.”
In a letter to the editor of the Eastern Shore News, Bill Finch of Pennsylvania-based Community Energy Inc., expressed enthusiasm for the potential to bring large-scale solar energy development to Accomack and Northampton Counties in the Eastern Shore.
Community Energy was pleased to see coverage in the Eastern Shore News of our proposed solar project in Accomack County. Renewable energy from sources such as solar, wind and hydro are an essential part of our country’s energy future. Adding solar capacity to our grid can help utilities avoid having to build more power plants just to meet peak demand for air conditioning during the summer’s hottest days.
We hope to help make the United States a leader in clean power production. As the article points out, the largest solar farm in the world today is a 60 megawatt project in Spain. A solar farm that will produce 550 megawatts is planned in California, and we recently learned that China has announced plans for a 2,000 megawatt solar project. Our proposed 5 megawatt facility is a step in the right direction.
If additional parcels of interest to Community Energy come under lease and are developed in Accomack and Northampton counties, the output will be significantly higher than 5 megawatts.
Our solar panels will be distributed along with existing agriculture over multiple adjoining and non-adjoining properties. There will not be a “massive” concentration of solar panels in any one area. In fact, less than 50 percent of the land on a given parcel will contain solar panels.
There will be significant green space between rows –which are spaced approximately six feet apart to prevent shadows.
Community Energy is excited to bring utility-scale solar energy to the progressive Eastern Shore.
Another renewable energy company – Chicago-based Lincoln Renewable Energy – already owns a 100-plus acre tract of land in Northampton that it hopes to soon develop into a major solar installation. A spokesperson for the company predicted the potential project would add $80 to $100 million to the county’s tax base.
The largest solar farm in the world currently resides in Spain and generates 60 megawatts of electricity. While the Tasley solar farm would likely only produce 5 megawatts initially, Community Energy says it will expand its capacity over time to surpass the Spanish solar farm.
