How do solar arrays in fields really work?

As the number of solar arrays or “solar farms” increases within our communities, GreenSpark receives more and more questions about how it all works. So we wanted to take a moment to address some frequently asked questions (FAQs) around those fields of solar panels you may see off the side of a highway or somewhere in your town.

Why the proliferation of solar power?

Solar is now the cheapest form of new electricity generation. Whether you are driven by economic or environmental factors, the outcome of a solar installation will address and benefit both areas.

The cost to install solar has decreased by more than 60% in the last decade. This is due to improvements in the technology, efficiencies in the processes, advancements in industry-best practices, and overall growth of the market. Thanks to the aforementioned points, along with many favorable solar policies implemented at a town level (i.e. unified solar permits which make it easier to adopt a new code for solar), state level (i.e. net metering policies, grants, etc.), and all the way through the Federal government’s significant solar tax incentives for businesses and homes.

Why build solar arrays on a field?

Many solar arrays are built on rooftops and we simply can’t see them. However, in other instances, there may be challenges with the roof structure, roof size, permitting requirements, building owners, etc.

That brings us to brownfields, landfills, and fields that otherwise are not utilized. Often these areas allow a solar project the economy of scale that brings favorable economic outcomes to our partners while ensuring sustainability goals are being met.

What are some of the logistics?

On brownfields or landfills, often the solar is ballasted to the ground and never penetrates the soil. Out in a typical field, the solar is usually a ground-mount system which has large screws that go into the ground.

The project structure of large-scale GreenSpark projects often look like this:

A land owner hosts the solar array in exchange for rent per acre, per year
An owner/financier of the solar project utilize the tax benefits and pays for the project
A customer or “offtaker,” commonly a business, municipality, or institution, benefits from the energy produced. Many large solar farms are Community Solar Arrays, which benefit a mix of Residential and Commercial customers. Commercial offtakers sign what’s called a Power Purchase Agreement, which offers them a fixed, reduced rate for clean, local solar power. The energy produced by a solar array out in a field will go into the grid, and then through accounting mechanisms the customers or ‘offtakers’ will receive the financial benefit of the solar power.

In some cases, the land host, owner, and customer may be the same entity – this is common for municipalities and larger businesses.

Where does GreenSpark fit in?

Depending on the project, GreenSpark can play the role of a project developer and installer. GreenSpark is also frequently hired as the primary Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) service provider or General Contractor for solar arrays that other companies have developed. Essentially the EPC is hired to go out and build these arrays.

What happens at the end of life of a solar array? Can solar panels be recycled?

The premium solar panels GreenSpark uses come with a production warranty of 25 years. The anticipated lifespan of solar panels is closer to 35-40 years.

Solar panels can fairly easily be removed from a roof or the ground. Most solar panels consist of around 76% glass, 10% plastic, 8% aluminum, which means over 90% of the material can be reused.

As the demand grows in the future, solar panel recycling infrastructure is expected to increase in order to handle the large volume of modules that will eventually be decommissioned. Organizations such as Solar Recycle are also providing valuable resources to aggregate & centralize information to educate stakeholders about their options.

Interested in learning more about the different types of solar?

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