Authorities Cash In As Solar Panels Installed Alongside Highways

We have had ‘Solar Freakin’ Roadways’ before now a highways authority in the US are leasing land to companies to use the road beside highways to generate free and energy and cash.

It’s another example of utilising something that has been available all along the sun. And while technology has had to play catch up solar technology is so affordable nowadays companies can invest in what would seem to be a desolate area.

The first example of such scheme is in the state of Minnesota on the border of Canada where five megawatts green energy panels are set to generate a mega tonne of electricity. This sustainable energy is enough to power roughly 5000 homes until the end of time; provided proper maintenance is carried out.

And the US capitalist culture is having a field day; Rick Morey the agency’s project manager talks about the potential these new schemes have: “We don’t even know how many potential solar sites we have. We’re looking for a simple landlord-tenant relationship. People can’t do much else with that land we can do this and generate some energy and revenue and improve the environment to boot.”

These gleaming blue panels are truly a godsend for the Minnesota Department for Transportation who is now actively seeking new solar land opportunities.

Before that happens however certain criteria must be met such as the impact on traffic operation and safety. Once regulations have been met a fair market rental rate can be agreed with outside businesses. Leases will run for 20 years to allow for a heavy return on investment for solar companies.

The state department were actually approached by ‘a couple of companies’ who saw the potential to make money; many authorities already profit from power lines running beside roads.

Energy companies in the US are already under stress to hit their goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

“Every public agency should be doing solar projects because now there’s an opportunity to do it at no cost to the taxpayer.” said Mark Andrew a former Hennepin County commissioner.

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Written by Phil Adams