Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
Anyone driving in the Lee area will eventually come upon a field of solar panels that stretch as far as the eye can see. An area resident called Greene Publishing, Inc., with questions about the solar farms in their area.
The first concern was about where the energy goes from all those panels. The electricity is transferred to the transmission grid and used wherever needed. Most, if not all, of Madison County’s solar farms are leased or owned by Duke Energy. “They don’t keep records on where the power goes, only how much enters and departs the grid,” according to Tri-County Electric Cooperative Vice President of Engineering and Technology Jeff Brewer.
The next concern was about environmental impacts of solar farms, especially the metal poles that anchor the panels to the ground. Brewer states that all utility equipment is designed for environmental safety. “Environmentalists are supporters of solar farms,” said Brewer, who explained that all utility poles are safe for up to 50 years of use without fear of contamination.
There also have been local comments about solar farms making our area a “target” for hurricanes. For that to be correct, much more heat would be needed from solar farms. Urban areas create far more heat from roads and sidewalks. Furthermore, solar farms do not attract lightning more so than anything else. Lightning looks for the shortest electrical path between a storm cloud and the ground. Solar farms are struck by lightning often simply because of the large area they cover.
In short, solar farms do not contribute to the local economy or electrical supply, but at least they don’t contaminate the soil or harm the environment.

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