Mega 14,000 Solar Panel Park Destroyed by Single Hail Storm
The Scottsbluff, Nebraska 5.2 MW Community Solar project was part of the NPPD’s Sunwise program that consisted of an array has over 14,000 solar panels. It’s reported that it had been put into operation in 2019.
Surely the project had been ceremoniously put into operation, with dignitaries and proponents proclaiming it would reliably deliver cheap and clean energy, reduce the state’s carbon footprint and contribute to a bright and climate-friendly future.
Now it has been just recently reported that the multimillion dollar solar energy park was literally reduced to a heap of rubble as hail literally pummeled it to a pulp in just a matter of minutes days ago.
How many of our federal dollars went into this project? Who is going to pay for the clean up? Where are they going to dump all of these damaged panels? The industry standard life expectancy is 25 years with the break even point at usually at about ten years. That is with big buck grants no doubt. Where does one dump all of these at the end of their normal lifespan because NONE of it can be recycled.
Inquiring mind stuff.
The disaster underscores once again just how vulnerable to the forces of nature solar energy parks are. The system’s 25-year expected lifetime was cut to down to less than 4 years, and makes you wonder if setting up such weather-vulnerable plants make any sense at all.
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