Solar developers answer questions on proposed Muncy-area energy project
Ken Walton, director of solar estimating and preconstruction at MVE Group in Ephrata talks about the plans for a solar farm during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The crowd listens to testimony during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Attorney Samuel E. Wiser Jr. of Salzmann Hughes PC, Chambersburg, attorney for the applicant, looks for an exhibit number during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Attorney Layne Oden asks questions to Ken Walton a witness for Bollinger Solar about aspects of the planned design of a large solar farm during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Ken Walton, director of solar estimating and preconstruction at MVE Group in Ephrata talks about the plans for a solar farm during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The crowd listens to testimony during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Attorney Samuel E. Wiser Jr. of Salzmann Hughes PC, Chambersburg, attorney for the applicant, looks for an exhibit number during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Attorney Layne Oden asks questions to Ken Walton a witness for Bollinger Solar about aspects of the planned design of a large solar farm during the fourth conditional use hearing held by the Muncy Creek Township Supervisors at the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Company. Residents of the area got to hear witnesses talk about the proposed solar farm that would be located along Clarkstown Road in Muncy. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
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About half as many people attended a continued conditional-use hearing at Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Department before the Muncy Creek Township supervisors this week than they did for the seemingly more controversial proposed massive chicken farm on the same acreage along Clarkstown Road.
Bollinger Solar has proposed an updated energy project consisting now of 11 separate solar arrays -- down from 13 and 12 -- producing a combined 33 megawatts (million watts) of electricity, using about 52,000 fixed-tilt panels to get power from the sun, and the subsequent power equipment that is to be interconnected to PPL lines.
The solar panels are made of silicon wafers and only operate during daylight.
The proposed project is different in that it is a "joint agrivoltaic project, or one that involves agricultural production alongside solar energy generation.
This is a proposed joint venture of the Bollinger and Wagner families, and includes a free-range chicken-raising, egg-production portion with five barns, each barn housing 70,000 chickens, or 350,000 total chickens. The proposed project has been identified as Sunny Side Up Farms LLC., of Lancaster County, according to previous testimony. The project is being opposed by a grassroots alliance, Muncy Area Neighborhood Preservation Coalition. The coalition hired Attorney Zachary DuGan of Perciballi and Williams to represent it.
Ken Walton, with MVE Group, known as Meadow Valley Electric, who said he is tasked with the electrical and construction design of the solar arrays, was the lone witness providing testimony for the applicant at the hearing. Walton, director of solar estimating and reconstruction at MVE Group, said he did not want to speak for PPL, but added he had suspicion that the utility would want more of its infrastructure, such as poles along a main access road into the farm, to be put underground.
He said that the higher cost of putting the system in from the road into the farm above ground -- such as poles at the rate of one every 200 feet -- rather than conduit being buried and out of sight would likely be a factor for the utility, but noted he did not know PPL's plan. From a business perspective, as a matter of economics, the utility is more apt to bury most of the infrastructure to present a cleaner looking project and overall, less expensive. But poles will be needed -- less of them along the site where it is closer to Interstate 180 and the borough of Muncy and more -- between five to seven -- nearer to an existing horse barn property and Fogelman Road, as part of the utility interconnection, according to the plan. It is unclear if there will need to be replacement poles on Clarkstown Road because some are in rough shape and are leaning, he said.
Walton confirmed the conceptual design plan showed three-phase distribution lines on the road. The solar panels are fixed tilt with a 20- to- 23-degree slope and there was an explanation of equipment such as inverters that at peak times during the day will produce decibel level noise like that of outside air conditioning. The solar array farm is silent at night, he said.
For scheduling purposes, supervisors decided the next continuation of the hearing for the chicken CAFO will be rescheduled to 6 p.m. July 15 at the fire house and for Bollinger Solar at 6 p.m. July 23, also at that site.
Township Supervisor Gary Phillips has been asked to recuse himself from the proceeding. He has asked the applicant questions but can't vote on conditional use or if there is a land development and subdivision stages, he told the Sun-Gazette.