Pennsylvania Solar Park Brings Solar Farming to East Coast

Up until recently, you could safely observe that the majority of solar desert farms in the U.S. are located on the West Coast. Nevada’s expansive deserts have already been utilized for solar farms, and even California and Arizona have joined the ranks. In early August, though, the “largest solar energy farm east of Nevada” (The Republican Herald) was announced.

The 10.6 megawatt ground mounted solar facility will be built near the city of Nesquehoning in Pennsylvania’s Carbon County. Known for coal production, Pennsylvania now has the opportunity to convert to a cleaner and safer form of energy production. The farm is projected to produce enough electricity to power 1450 homes in the region. Perhaps even more notable, however, is the enormous amount (320,000 tons) of greenhouse gases the farm will eliminate in a 30-year period.

The facility, which has been named “Pennsylvania Solar Park,” will be one of the largest in the country. In addition to providing alternative energy, it will also bring employment to the area through its technologically advanced operations center. It is hoped that the facility as a whole can double as a training and educational center as well.

The whole project is expected to cost $65 million to build. Although it is being funded through some state and federal incentives, the bulk of the funding is coming from private investors. The construction of this farm demonstrates that solar facilities are not limited to hot, barren deserts like Nevada. Even a neglected parcel of land can be converted into a valuable asset. With additional government and private interest, just imagine how many of these can potentially be built across the country!

Posted on September 8th in Solar News by Anna.