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The Solar Energy Industries Association (“SEIA”) issued a February 24th White Paper titled:

Community Solar Project Siting – A Framework for Producing Zero Carbon Electricity and Serving Ecosystem Enhancement & Conservation (“White Paper”)

The White Paper describes a proposed siting framework for community solar projects.

The White Paper suggests that such a siting framework:

• Can produce needed zero-carbon electricity
• Enhances ecosystem and conservation roles
• Preserves community character while protecting individual property rights
• Builds off existing laws to balance development activity/environmental protection
• Preserves natural capital

The term “community solar” is described as:

. . . local solar facilities shared by multiple community subscribers who receive credits on their electricity bills for their share of the power produced.

Such facilities are stated to be less than five megawatts alternating current in size and sited on less than 50 acres of land.

The White Paper addresses:

• Introduction: Community Solar & Land Use
• Three Foundational Principles
  • An extensive body of existing federal and state law that already protects and prohibits development on sensitive ecosystems
  • State regulators should develop frameworks and tools for use by local governments in making permitting decisions.
  • Solar development can be compatible with conservation and preservation of community character.
• Community Solar Siting Framework
  • Design for Ecosystem Services Benefits
  • Avoid
  • Minimize
  • Mitigate
• A Planned Development Approach
• Additional Considerations
  • Agricultural Resources
  • Solar & Forested Land
  • Protection of Wildlife
  • Innovation

A copy of the White Paper can be downloaded here.