January 30, 2023

Agrivoltaics In Illinois: A Regulatory and Policy Guide

The goal of this policy guide is to summarize both state and local regulations with implications for those wishing to establish agrivoltaic operations in the state of Illinois. The first part of this guide briefly gives a history of agricultural and renewable energy development in Illinois, as well as details agrivoltaic research efforts by the University of Illinois. The guide then covers local-level policies that will have bearing on agrivoltaic development. The final portion of the guide discusses state-level policy that may impact agrivoltaic development, especially in the instance of installing solar panels on agriculturally classified land.

January 4, 2023

Farmland Considerations for Siting Grid-Scale Solar Panels

This resource aims to guide informed decisions by landowners, investors, planners, and government officials in considering the planning and siting of grid-scale solar systems in Pennsylvania. The intent is to balance and promote the goals of sustainable income-generation and protection of water, soil, and valuable agricultural land resources.

July 14, 2022

Decommissioning Solar Energy Systems Resource Guide

This resource guide discusses strategies for decommissioning solar energy operations. The guide includes details on extending performance periods, planning for decommissioning, cost examples and financial assurance mechanisms.

February 9, 2022

NY Solar Guidebook

This guidebook is a compilation of information, tools, and step-by-step instructions to support local governments with the development, installation, and maintenance of solar energy projects in their communities.

February 9, 2022

Will Section 94-C Enable Renewable Energy Project Siting and Help New York State Achieve Its Energy Targets?

This Note examines how Section 94-C is an improvement from earlier siting regimes in NYS, which emphasized a time intensive and comprehensive approval process primarily tailored to the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of fossil-fuel power projects. This Note explains how Section 94-C sought to bridge the historical disconnect between old siting statutes with NYS’s more recent priorities for renewable energy adoption and addressing climate change. This Note demonstrates how Section 94-C can bypass massive delays, provided that ORES establishes more reasonable and predictable substantive standards, as well as reduces the complexity and extent of procedural requirements for developers.