• Rachel McDevitt

Rachel McDevitt / StateImpact Pennsylvania

The Nittany 1 Solar Farm, seen here from outside protective fencing in Lurgan Township, Franklin County on Nov. 24, 2020.

October 1, 2024 | 5:05 PM

A state House committee is advancing a measure that would make solar energy development more expensive.

But, supporters say, it will guarantee that projects are cleaned up at the end of their useful lives.

Republican lawmakers have been pushing for solar companies to put up money to eventually remove projects – before any construction happens.

Solar advocates have pushed back, saying that would make it too expensive to build clean energy projects that can help address climate change. Solar panels don’t emit climate pollution as they generate electricity, unlike fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide when burned.

Now lawmakers have found a compromise.

Senate Bill 211 requires companies to prove they have enough money to cover 10% of cleanup costs before building. That grows to 100% by the time the project is 25 years old. Companies can subtract the value of the metal and glass from the project that can be recycled.

Rep. Paul Schemel (R-Franklin) said municipalities in his district are seeing an influx of solar and writing their own requirements for clean up.

But he said, small communities might not have the resources to correctly calculate the amount needed.

“[This bill] puts it in the hands of individuals, agencies more sophisticated and better able to do that. I think it protects the farmland for the future when the leases come to an end and the solar panels are removed,” Schemel said.

The bill has bipartisan support; it passed the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee Tuesday with only one no vote from the 25 members.

The bill is now before the full House. If approved, it will go to Gov. Shapiro’s desk. The governor’s office said it will continue to review the bill as it moves through the voting process.

Committee chair Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) said he wrestled with the bill, but came to vote yes because solar industry groups support it.

“I think the solar energy industry knows what’s best for itself as far as what is going to promote solar,” Vitali said. “So, if the solar industry has such unanimous support of this bill, who am I to oppose it?”

Rep. Joe Webster (D-Montgomery) said the bonding issue could serve as a disincentive, but he commended the solar industry for its position.

“The industry is in favor of this, so I want to say ‘hats off’ that there’s a best practice involved here that the industry is willing to take on,” he said.

Leah Meredith with the Solar Energy Industries Association called the bill a win-win for the solar industry, property owners, and the environment.

“The solar and storage industry is pleased to see this bill to establish common-sense, statewide standards for decommissioning solar projects head to the Pennsylvania House Floor with bipartisan support,” she said in a statement.

Ron Celentano, President of the Pennsylvania Solar & Storage Industries Association, said it is important to have a statewide standard.

“Many municipalities were starting to include a range of inconsistent decommissioning plans in their ordinances, which only bogged down large solar development,” Celentano said.

Webster said the solar industry’s support for the measure suggests that similar best practices should be a consideration for any industry that’s creating potential pollution in the state.

Other types of energy generation do not face similar state requirements around bonding, or proof of financial resources, to remove plants when they cease operation.

Gas drillers are required to secure bonds for well cleanup. The amount varies from $2,500 for a conventional well to around $4,000 for some fracked wells. Companies essentially get a discount if they have a lot of wells and can cover them with a “blanket bond.”

The Department of Environmental Protection has said the average price tag to plug a conventional well is around $30,000.

Editor’s Picks