"The rules for decommissioning solar plants vary a lot depending on the location."
"One of the objections to utility-scale solar power that I hear most often is that local communities will be left to cover the costs of cleanup at the end of a project’s life.
But state and local rules in nearly all of the country are clear about who pays: The developer or the owner is responsible for restoring the land once a project is no longer operating.
The problems arise from the complexity of the regulations in many places, which provide opportunities for people who oppose solar and are looking for concerns that will resonate with the public.
A new report from NC Clean Energy Technology Center, “50 States of Solar Decommissioning,” offers a comprehensive review.
“Why is this important?” asked Justin Lindemann, a policy analyst for the center, based at North Carolina State University. “With the number of solar projects that are in the queue right now, being planned by utilities and various third parties across the country, it’s important to prepare for the eventual end-of-life management that all of these projects will have to go through at some point.”"
Dan Gearino reports for Inside Climate News January 25, 2024.
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