5.5 Energy Production and Mining
and photovoltaic (PV). CSP, not currently used in North Carolina, uses mirrors or lenses to concentrate solar energy that drives steam turbines or similar devices that in turn generate electricity. PV captures light energy using solar panels and generates electricity directly. Solar cells for PV are small but are combined into connected modules and arrays. PV sys- tems can be installed on rooftops or on land that receives adequate sunlight. In North Carolina, solar farms comprised of many solar arrays on open land are becom- ing more and more common. Solar farms produce clean, renewable energy but some sites may have impacts to terrestrial and aquatic wildlife resources. Most solar farms in North Carolina generate 5 MW of electricity or less but take up approximately 25 acres of land. However, there are also larger solar farms capable of producing up to 100 MW. Many solar farms are sited on cleared agricultural land that has been traditionally used for farming. Increasingly however, solar farms are proposed in forested areas that will require clearcut- ting to prepare the land for the solar farm. Currently peer-reviewed studies are insufcient to adequately assess all the potential impacts of PV solar farms on wildlife (Lovich and Ennin 2011) . Te primary impact is conversion of wildlife habitat to cleared areas with solar arrays; the degree of impact depends on the quality of the habitat. Impacts will be fewer for solar farms constructed on cleared felds. Solar farms are typically enclosed with chain link fences so movement corridors for wildlife may be altered. In addition to direct impacts from the solar farm, new transmission lines may be needed to connect to the grid. New utility corridors can bisect large forest blocks or cross wetlands and streams. 5.5.8 Wind Energy—Anticipated Impacts Wind energy uses turbines carrying rotary blades designed to capture kinetic wind energy and convert it into electricity that can be used locally, stored for later use, or provided to an energy grid. Large arrays of wind turbines are often referred to as wind power farms and they require an extensive power collection, storage, and distribution system for delivering electricity. Typical wind power farms also need some type of supervisory control and data acquisition system for two-way communications with each wind turbine as well as main- tenance facilities for service equipment, spare parts, lubricants, and other supplies. Tese maintenance facilities can be located on- or of-site and may be combined into one build- ing. At least one access road is needed to access the wind turbines, delivery systems, and maintenance facilities. North Carolina has good-to-outstanding wind resource potential along the coast and mountain ridges (WINDExchange 2015) . Currently, one wind energy farm is planned to be built in Perquimans and Pasquotank counties by Iberdrola Renewables and will be operational by 2016. Te facility will cover 34 square miles and be able to produce 208 megawatts
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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