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yolorelli t1_iusgid4 wrote

Pa has a community solar bill that has been sitting in legislation for years, while most of the surrounding states have passed, or are close to passing theirs. If it passes people could potentially save upwards of 15-20% on their electricity bills when purchasing power directly from a project. Vote Vote Vote.

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Advanced-Guard-4468 t1_iuspdhh wrote

Could and will are two separate words. The states surrounding PA pay similar electric prices.

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yolorelli t1_iuw7xin wrote

Yea. That’s true. Rates are pretty average everywhere, but those people who have the opportunity to purchase power directly from a community solar program typically have a 15-20% rate reduction. The more projects that get built, the more people it will benefit.

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Advanced-Guard-4468 t1_iuw8bqg wrote

The environment takes a beating. People complain about over development but have no issue filling what once were productive farms with solar farms. In some cases we are trading food for power.

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yolorelli t1_iuwdg9v wrote

The proposed bill caps these projects at 5MW each, and a project that size has a footprint of around 20-30 acres. That’s a small chunk of farmland to power around 800 homes. I think global warming and droughts pose more of a threat to our food chain, and you need one to fight the other. I agree that agriculture will take a hit, but you would be surprised how much acreage is out there that could support a project and is not agricultural. I try to look at all the pro’s and con’s, but I am pro solar so my opinion is somewhat biased.

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Advanced-Guard-4468 t1_iuwfmq0 wrote

I wish they would use parking lots and commercial roof tops 1st. I've seen in NY State where they converted 150 acres parcels into solar.

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yolorelli t1_iuwgki2 wrote

I know. So much potential there. I have seen a few shopping plazas in central Pa who have installed solar above their parking lot and there are probably tens of thousands of acres of rooftop that could be used. There just isn’t much incentive right now in PA. Hopefully that changes soon. 🤞🏻

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