A Comprehensive Approach Obtaining federal, state, and local regulators’ approvals requires a comprehensive approach to balancing the growing demand for renewable energy with the imperative to protect our planet. From meticulous site selection and engaging stakeholders to implementing wildlife protection measures and post-construction monitoring, every step in the permitting process plays a role in a harmonious relationship between solar energy and the environment. As the world continues its transition toward a sustainable energy future, understanding and applying these secrets—and the not-so-secrets—are essential for the success of solar projects and the preservation of our natural ecosystems. It can look like there is a maze of environmental regulations between one and the approval to construct. Not a secret: there are. Consider bringing on a guide—someone who has been there before, knows the possible pitfalls and the possibilities, and understands the way. I’ll leave you with a real secret. They say the three most important things in real estate are “location, location, and location.” In permitting solar development, the top three are “location, location, and choice of consultant.”
Aerial Photo: UES performs a variety of services for solar farms, such as materials testing and quality assurance in Earthwork Compaction Testing, which was performed for the Terrell Solar project in Dawson, Georgia for client Green Power EMC. Sunset Photo: Taken during UES’ work on a 1,600-acre solar farm in New Mexico
A solar facility is most commonly an array of solar panels that supplies electricity to the grid. These facilities are called solar farms, solar parks, solar gardens, solar power stations, or more formally, photovoltaic power stations. They range in size from a rooftop to thousands of acres.
KEN MACDONALD is the Regional Director of Environmental Permitting and Com- pliance with UES, the national leading engineering and consulting company. He and his team have completed the permitting and/or compliance for more than 60 square miles of solar panels. He frequently teaches the workshop “Keeping Environmental Permits Off the Critical Path.”
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Spring 2024
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