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Utility Scale Solar

With increasing demand for renewable energy, we are seeing proposals for utility-scale solar developments in most of the localities in the Shenandoah Valley. Since 2019, Alliance staff and board have been working to get it right with solar in the Valley—we envision solar development that complements, not conflicts with, our agriculture and forestry economy.

The Alliance believes scaling up renewable energy can be a significant positive step statewide if properly implemented and can bring economic opportunities for businesses and landowners. Utility-scale proposals are more likely to be successful if they are thoughtfully designed and localities are prepared to thoroughly evaluate and consider the positive and negative impacts in their community.

To help Valley localities stay up-to-date with changing policies and practices for utility-scale solar and related infrastructure, the Alliance updated in 2023 our considerations and guidelines for the development of utility-scale solar.

Download Alliance Guidelines for your Local Staff and Electeds

There are two types of solar energy developments. Utility or large-scale solar generates power to be sold to a utility and fed into the power grid. Distributed solar is used on-site, such as for a business, farm or home. This latter type of solar installation helps meet localized demand and does not require major transmission upgrades.

The Alliance recommends proposals be designed to:

  • Protect clean water.
  • Minimize impacts to farm soils.
  • Avoid historic, cultural and scenic resources.
  • Return sites to pre-construction condition.
  • Consider lasting infrastructure impacts.
  • Support continued agriculture or wildlife habitat.

Protect clean water.

Effective erosion control and stormwater management during construction and during the life of the project is key to protecting groundwater and local streams.

Minimize impacts to farm soils.

Here in the Valley, we have some of the finest agricultural soils in the nation. When it’s not feasible for a solar installation to avoid prime agricultural soils, grading, compression and soil disturbance should be minimized so that a site can be used for farming again in the future.

Avoid historic, cultural and scenic resources.

In the wrong location, utility-scale solar installations could run counter to a locality’s pursuit of historic resource protection and tourism associated with historic and scenic assets.

Return sites to pre-construction condition.

Effective decommissioning provisions should be included in all utility-scale solar projects, ensuring that the land can be used for productive agriculture or other use after the life of the contract (generally 25-30 years).

Consider lasting infrastructure impacts.

Will a solar project require new or upgraded transmission lines or substations? The impacts of the new infrastructure should be assessed along with the impacts of the solar project. Local ordinances and comprehensive plans should also be consulted in order to ensure compatible development that is right for each community.

Support continued agriculture or wildlife habitat.

Some utility-scale solar projects allow for continued grazing (generally sheep) or hay in conjunction with the installation, and others use native or pollinator plants, contributing to the farm economy and minimizing the need for extensive herbicide application.

Projects Proposed in our Region

Status Key:

Application in Progress

Application Approved

Application Denied

Application Withdrawn

County Location Acreage Size (MW) Status Developer
Augusta Lyndhurst and Stuarts Draft 1000 acres of panels (on 2600 acres) 125

Motion to deny the SUP passed 4-3 on May 22, 2019

Augusta Solar/Community Energy Solar
Augusta Lyndhurst and Stuarts Draft 114 acres of panels (on 470 acres) 90

Board of Supervisors denied SUP July 24, 2024

Augusta Solar/Community Energy Solar
Augusta Stuarts Draft 560 acres of panels (on 880 acres) 83

Planning Commission voted 4-3 against the project on January 12, 2021
The project application has been withdrawn.

Round Hill Solar LLC & Strata Solar
Augusta Stuarts Draft 23 acres of panels (on 80 acres) 3

Board of Zoning Appeals approved Nov 4, 2021

Wayne Avenue Solar I / Borrego Solar Systems, Inc.
Augusta Stuarts Draft 26 acres of panels (on 51 acres) 3

Board of Zoning Denied Oct 5, 2023

Consolidated Edison Development/Shenvalee Solar
Augusta Stuarts Draft 23 acre project (on 34 acres) 3

Board of Zoning approved Dec 7, 2023

Wayne Ave (West)/Wayne Ave Solar 2, LLC
Augusta Waynesboro 40 acres of panels (on 90 acres) 5

Board of Zoning Appeals approved Aug 5, 2021

Waynesboro Bridge Solar/Dynamic Energy Systems, LLC
Augusta Waynesboro 24 acres of panels (on 126 acres) 3

Board of Zoning Appeals approved May 2, 2024

Waynesboro VAB, LLC
Augusta Fishersville 12 acres of panels (on 50 acres) 3.88

Board of Zoning Appeals approved Aug 5, 2021

Augusta CSG
Augusta Fishersville 25 acres of panels (on 50 acres) 3

Board of Zoning Appeals approved July 6, 2023

Consolidated Edison Development/Elm Spring Solar I
Augusta Fishersville 10 acres of panels (on 24 acres) 2

Board of Zoning Appeals denied Oct 5, 2023

Fishersville Road Solar Farm
Augusta Fishersville 22 acres of panels (on 42 acres) 3

Board of Zoning Appeals approved Oct 3, 2024

Fishersville VAA, LLC/ Fishersville A Solar
Augusta Fishersville 23 acres of panels (on 81 acres) 3

Board of Supervisors denied SUP Aug 1, 2024

Elm Spring VAB, LLC/ Elm Spring II Solar
Augusta Churchville 50 acres of panels 3

Application withdrawn prior to public hearing

Buffalo Branch Solar
Augusta Verona 10 acres of panels (on 90 acres) 1

Board of Zoning Appeals approved Oct 7, 2021

Shared Solar HoldCo
Augusta Grottoes 16 acres of panels 3

Application withdrawn prior to public hearing

Grottoes A Solar
Frederick West of Stephens City 370 acres of panels (on 668.5 acres) 75

Board of Supervisors unanimously approved CUP on July 8th, 2020

Urban Grid & Foxglove Solar LLC
Frederick Southwest of Stephens City 705 acres of panels (on 1605 acres) 80 – 130

Board of Supervisors unanimously approved CUP on Sept 23, 2020

Bartonsville Energy Facility (TCE Virginia Development)
Frederick West of Gore 80 acres of panels (on 326 acres) 20

After Board of Supervisors March 2021 rejection and subsequent successful lawsuit by developer, Planning Commission approved CUP on December 1, 2021

Blue Ridge Energy Holdings LLC
Harrisonburg Northeast Corner of N Liberty Street & Acorn Dr 10 acres 1.4

In operation Fall 2022

Harrisonburg Electric Commission (HEC)
Page Near Stanley 340 acres 20

Motion to approve the SUP passed 4-2 on April 2, 2019

Urban Grid
Page North of Luray 560 acres 100

Motion to approve the SUP failed 3-3 on April 2, 2019
Planning Commission recommended denial of SUP resubmission in March 2022.
SUP withdrawn by developer August 2022.

Urban Grid/Cape Solar
Rockingham South of New Market, near Endless Caverns 149 acres 31.4

A revised third request for SUP was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Dec 8, 2021

Caden Energix LLC
Rockingham South of New Market, near Endless Caverns 24 acres of battery storage (on 244 acres) 200

SUP approved by Board of Supervisors on Dec 14, 2022

Prospect Powers LLC
Rockingham Elkton 18 acres 3

SUP approved by Board of Supervisors Dec 8, 2022

SolAmerica Energy
Rockingham Elkton 149 acres of panels (on 375 acres) 70

A revised SUP was approved by the Board of Supervisors on March 8, 2023

Knight Solar, LLC
Rockingham Elkton 19 acres of panels (on 36 acres) 3

SUP denied by Board of Supervisors February 8, 2023
SUP reconsidered by Board of Supervisors and denied again May 10, 2023

Nectar Solar
Rockingham Dayton 40 acres 3

SUP denied by Board of Supervisors on Feb 23, 2022

Dynamic Energy Systems, LLC
Rockingham North of Port Republic off of Route 340 150 acres of panels (on 564 acres) 50

SUP approved by Board of Supervisors on Nov 16, 2022

Sun Ridge Solar
Rockingham Mount Crawford 16 acres of panels (on 58 acres) 4.8

SUP denied by Board of Supervisors on Dec, 14 2022

Solar Star Mount Crawford 1, LLC
Rockingham Keezletown 24 acres of panels (on 41 acres) 5

SUP denied by Board of Supervisors on Dec 14, 2022

Mountain Valley Solar LLC
Rockingham McGaheysville 49 acres of panels (on 92 acres) 21

SUP denied by Board of Supervisors on Feb 14, 2024

MCG Solar, LLC
Shenandoah, Town of Mount Jackson, Phase 1 South of Mount Jackson, property was annexed by the town in 2016 160 acres 15

Town Council approved SUP in 2017; construction ongoing as of April 2021

Energix
Shenandoah, Town of Mount Jackson, Phase 2 South of Mount Jackson, property was annexed by the town in 2016 175 acres 18.9

Town Council approved SUP in October 2018

Energix
Shenandoah, Town of Mount Jackson, Phase 3 South of Mount Jackson, property was annexed by the town in 2016 145 acres 16.2

Town Council approved SUP in October 2018

Energix
Shenandoah, Town of Mount Jackson, Phase 4 South of Mount Jackson, property was annexed by the town in 2016 129 acres 30

Planning Commission will consider SUP in January 2022

Energix
Shenandoah Mount Jackson 32 acres 3.19

Request for SUP approved by Board of Supervisors Oct 27, 2020

Randolf Solar Partners, LLC
Shenandoah Edinburg 168 acres 45

Request for SUP tabled by Planning Commission on December 2, 2021

MSolar Industries
Staunton Bells Lane Ag-Forestal District 59 acres of panels (on 98 acres) 21

City Council Approved June 22, 2023

Oikos Solar System, Inc.
Warren (Town of Front Royal) West of Marys Shady Lane, South of I-66 75-125 acres of panels (on 179 acres) unavailable

Special Use Permit Application filed June 8, 2020

Front Royal Limited Partnership
Warren Front Royal 15 acres 2.5

In operation 2017

American Municipal Power, Inc.

Resources

  • Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley – Utility-Scale Solar Ordinance Guidelines (Updated July 2023)
  • Virginia Conservation Network – 2024 Briefing Book Utility Scale Solar (Published 2023)
  • Rappahannock River Basin Commission – Stakeholder Perspectives on Utility-Scale Solar Facility Development and Key Considerations for Decision Makers (June 2023)
  • Great Plains Institute – Best Practices: Photovoltaic Stormwater Management Research and Testing (Jan 2023)
  • ICMA/APA – Solar@Scale: A Local Government Guidebook for Improving Large-Scale Solar Development Outcomes (Dec 2022)
  • UVA Energy Transition Initiative – Decommissioning Utility-Scale Solar Facilities (August 2022)
  • Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley – Incorporating Solar into Agricultural Landscapes: Workshop for Farmers (Feb 2022)
  • Southern Environmental Law Center – Solar Initiative Solar Policy Brief (March 2017)
  • NC Clean Energy Technology Center
  • Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) Research on Data Center and Energy Demand

Related News

Augusta Solar Getting it Right
May 10, 2024

This project checks all the boxes for a good solar project and is in accord with Augusta County’s comp plan.

Ask Augusta to delay Solar Ordinance changes
Nov 09, 2023

It makes no sense to change an ordinance that is working and follows the comp plan to something that does not match the comp plan and might or might not match the pending citizen input regarding solar development within Augusta.

Beyond Solar Ordinances: Utility Scale Solar Policy, Host Siting Agreements & Other Emerging Topics
Oct 05, 2023

Attendees will learn about solar installation options and how solar can fit and complement existing agricultural operations.

Shining Light on Two Augusta Solar Projects
Oct 02, 2023

Two projects in Augusta County that the Alliance can get behind and hope that Augusta residents, too, can support.

Shenvalee Solar Project
Sep 06, 2023

We know that solar is part of the transition to renewable energy, and, done right, it can be compatible with and even complement our agricultural region.

Solarize Virginia Information Sessions 2023
Jul 27, 2023

If you’ve been considering solar, Solarize Shenandoah is a one-stop-shop to find out how you can incorporate solar on your property.

Getting it right with solar
Jun 27, 2023

With the right local and state guidelines in place, we hope to see solar projects in the Shenandoah Valley that minimize negative impact and even benefit local communities.

Solar Figures into the Future of Mount Jackson Farm
Jun 15, 2023

When Fred Garber surveys the progress of the new solar installation on his family farm in Mount Jackson, he sees the future. And that gives the nearly 79-year-old a tiny bit of peace.

Two Augusta solar projects to support
May 31, 2023

We know that solar is part of the transition to renewable energy, and, done right, it can be compatible with and even complement our agricultural region.

Shenandoah Solar Ordinance Approved
May 08, 2023

We applaud Shenandoah County for approving a solar ordinance that successfully balances protection of agricultural lands while allowing opportunity for new energy development.

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  • Kate Wofford, Executive Director
  • Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley
  • 9485 S Congress St • PO Box 674 • New Market, VA 22844
  • (540) 908-3914
  • info@shenandoahalliance.org

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