Siting Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Projects on Cape Cod DECEMBER 2020 Prepared by Cape Cod Commission Staff. Siting Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Projects on Cape Cod CONTENTS Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Regional Planning .............................................................................................................................. 3 About Solar Energy............................................................................................................................ 3 Market Trends and Incentives ........................................................................................................ 4 Solar PV on Cape Cod ....................................................................................................................... 5 Solar Screening Tool ......................................................................................................................... 5 Solar Screening Tool Criteria .......................................................................................................... 6 Solar Screening Methods .............................................................................................................. 12 Other Solar PV Considerations..................................................................................................... 13 Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 15 _______________________________________________________________________________________________ CAPE COD COMMISSION 3225 Main Street • P.O. Box 226 • Barnstable, MA 02630 508-362-3828 • Fax: 508-362-3136 • Email: [email protected] www.capecodcommission.org SITING LARGE- SCALE SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PROJECTS ON CAPE COD INTRODUCTION Climate change is a key challenge facing Cape Cod. It contributes to sea level rise, increased frequency and intensity of storms, and longer periods of warmer weather. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) contribute to climate change by trapping heat in the atmosphere and causing global temperatures to rise. Massachusetts has a goal to reduce GHG emissions from all sectors by at least 80% below a 1990 emissions baseline by 2050. One way to reduce GHG emissions and slow the effects of climate change in the energy sector is to support the replacement of GHG-intensive fossil fuels with cleaner, renewable forms of energy. Solar energy is a form of renewable energy that can help governments, businesses, and individuals meet climate goals. REGIONAL PLANNING In 2019, updates to the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan (RPP), Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDs), and Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) were adopted. All three of these regional plans recognize the importance of addressing climate change in the region. Renewable energy can be an effective tool when working to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Recognizing the need to plan for context-sensitive renewable energy development, the RPP includes a planning action for the Cape Cod Commission (Commission) to conduct an analysis to identify appropriate sites for large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with an emphasis on existing developed or disturbed sites. ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY The primary technology by which solar energy is harnessed for electricity is solar PV. Solar PV cells, generally made from silicon, convert sunlight directly into electricity. Multiple cells are connected in a solar panel or module, encasing the cells in protective glass, metal, and/or plastic. Panels can be used individually or connected to form an array. In addition to the solar panel or array, a PV system also includes mounting structures, an inverter to convert the direct current (DC) electricity generated into alternating current (AC) electricity used for local transmission of electricity, a meter, other electrical accessories, and wiring to connect system components. Solar PV systems are generally considered distributed energy resources – small or medium-sized power sources that are mainly connected to the lower voltage levels of the distribution power grid near end users. Solar PV is considered an intermittent or variable energy source because the amount of sunlight available to generate energy varies depending on location, time of day, season of the year, | Page 3 SITING LARGE- SCALE SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PROJECTS ON CAPE COD and weather conditions. To compensate for this variability, solar PV systems may also include battery storage systems to store energy generated so it can be used later. Due to their modularity, solar PV systems can vary greatly in size. In our region, small-scale solar PV systems tend to be less than or equal to 25 kilowatts (kW) and mid-scale systems are less than 500 kW. These systems are generally installed on rooftops, parking lots, or adjacent fields to serve the associated residence, business, or municipal facility. Large-scale solar PV systems are those 500 kilowatts (kW) or larger. A 500-kW rooftop array requires approximately 50,000 square feet of suitable roof space, whereas a ground-mounted 500-kW array requires approximately 2.5 acres of land. Large solar PV systems generally provide electricity directly to the utility and are also referred to as utility-scale. Solar PV systems also vary in who they serve. In general, small-scale systems serve an individual home, business, or municipal facility, whereas large-scale systems provide electricity to the utility. However, there are business models for multiple entities to share the benefits of solar through onsite or offsite shared solar and microgrids. Not everyone can install or afford their own solar PV system. Shared solar PV systems allow these individuals to procure their electricity from a clean energy source located in their region. Participants typically benefit by owning or leasing a portion of a system or by purchasing kW-hour blocks of renewable energy generation. A microgrid is a local energy grid with control capability, which means it can disconnect, or island, from the traditional grid and operate autonomously. In the event of a power outage, a microgrid continues to provide electricity to its customers. Microgrids may be designed to serve a public purpose such as providing power for critical services (e.g. hospitals, shelters, water treatment plants) in a storm. Or, microgrids may be designed to serve a neighborhood or campus. Advantages of solar energy include reducing fossil fuel dependence, lowering GHG emissions, and improving air quality, provided overall energy demands remain constant. Disadvantages include its intermittency, the use of some potentially hazardous materials in system components, and the significant amount of land required for a large-scale, ground-mounted solar PV project. MARKET TRENDS AND INCENTIVES As of 2020, over 650 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity were installed globally. In the United States, there are almost 2.5 million solar energy systems installed with the capacity to generate over 80 GW of energy. Massachusetts has over 100,000 solar PV systems installed with the capacity to generate over 2,850 megawatts (MW) of solar energy. Regional, national, and global energy projections forecast exponential solar PV growth. | Page 4 SITING LARGE- SCALE SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC PROJECTS ON CAPE COD The local solar PV market has been shaped by federal and state legislation and incentives such as the federal Clean Air Act and solar Investment Tax Credit and the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act and renewable energy programs. The Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program is the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resource's current incentive program established to support the development of solar in Massachusetts. As of 2020, it will support 3,200 MW of solar generating capacity in the state. The SMART Program incorporates land use, siting criteria, and performance standards into the design of the program. To be eligible to participate in SMART, solar PV projects must take into account multiple aspects of the site, including, but not limited to: zoning; existing land use and development; site characteristics such as natural resources; and project size and design. The SMART Program also incorporates special provisions for solar PV projects serving public entities, low-income customers, and community shared solar; projects with energy storage; dual-use projects on agricultural lands; floating projects on man-made waterbodies; and canopy projects over parking lots and other surfaces. SOLAR PV ON CAPE COD Solar PV systems have been appearing on Cape homes, businesses, and municipal facilities for many years. According to Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) data, as of 2019, there were 6,700 solar projects with a median size of 6.2 kW in Barnstable County participating in state solar energy programs – these do not include projects that do not report to MassCEC’s Production Tracking System or projects participating in the SMART Program. The Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative has facilitated the installation of an additional 32 MW of solar with Cape towns and school districts. There have been several large-scale solar PV developments on Cape Cod, including installations on municipal and private lands. Commission data show approximately 100 acres of ground-mounted solar installed on Cape Cod as of 2014. Most of these installations are on previously