Land Use Issues for Solar and Landfill Gas

Generation

Presented to

The Steering Committee for Missouri’s Comprehensive State Energy Plan

October 28, 2014

By Floyd GilzowVice President of Environmental

and Governmental Affairs

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Municipal Utilities at forefront of Utility Scale Solar in Missouri

• Columbia 11.7 kW Adding 250 KW • Butler – 3.2 MW, 2014• Springfield – 4.95 MW, 2014• Macon – 3.2 MW 2014• Projecting 12+ MW by MJMEUC in four

different member cities by end of 2016• Nixa still negotiating contract - 8MW

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Butler Solar Farm

Macon Facility

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Solar Power Generation Configurations

A. Private roof top solarB. Solar Garden C. Community SolarD. Municipal Utility Solar

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Roof Top Solar

BENEFITS• Easily deployable• Privately financed through a variety of financial

venues• Interested citizens have ability to make the

commitment for themselves

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Roof Top SolarDRAWBACKS• Participation is largely limited to homeowners• Issue of moving from one home to the next

and losing some or all of the investment• Limited because of orientation issues and

solar obstructions• May have issues with building codes and

snow loads• Engineering limitations on distribution grid

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Roof Top SolarBARRIERS• No zoning barriers in the 10 largest cities in

the state of the Missouri• May have limitations based on property

covenants or subdivision restrictions• Previous BMP has been to plant trees to

shade roofs to reduce energy demand

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Solar Garden Operated like garden coop – BENEFITS• Available to all citizens whether homeowner,

renter, or whether structure is properly situated• Centrally managed and tied into distribution grid• Each person can contract for as little or as much

solar as they desire• Ownership is with the panel, not the property

on which it is located• Easier to grow as demand rises

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Solar Garden DRAWBACKS• Governance and long-term stewardship• Legal complications with current electricity provider

contract• Land Needed –3.5 to 10 Acres per Megawatt

o Purchase of land may be expensive, and appropriate land may not be readily available

o Routine maintenance – mowing and perimeter security for safety can also be costly

• Liability issues since the entity has few assets and is currently unregulated

• Leaving Community often means losing investment

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Community SolarOwned by city or established legal organization

BENEFITS• Similar to Solar Garden, except managed by an

established organization – so long term stewardship, liability and maintenance is less of an issue

• Same benefits as Solar Garden DRAWBACKS• Land acquisition • Cities often have Vacant land available

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Utility Scale Solar

Solar as a part of local utility’s portfolio of power

BENEFITS• Places no additional operational burden on

ratepayers• Available to all equallyDOWNSIDE• Cost to all ratepayers• Size of necessary field

Solar as 1% of Missouri Sales

(based on Butler Solar Farm output= 4,500 MWHr per year):

1%= 824,000 MWHr per year

2,300 acres of Solar Panels• The entire corporate limits of Willow Springs• Big Oak Tree SP and most of Lake Wappapello

SP• 12 acre solar farms in 183 cities

Solar as 1% of Missouri Sales

Siting Issues for• Safety• Effectiveness• Security• Cost containmentSolar PV does not lend itself to shared land use

Landfill Gas

Current Municipal Locations• Lamar – 5.6 MW• Black Oak/Hartville – 3.8MW• EPA LMOP lists four other projects not

including the two municipal sites

Landfill Gas Siting Considerations

• Existence of Landfill• Length of Time for Production• Proximity to Demand

or • Proximity to Transmission Grid

NOTE: EPA has not released its guidance document on how it will treat LFG under proposed 111(d) guidelines

Questions

Floyd Gilzowfgilzow@mpua.org

573-445-3279