New Resource Provides Wind and Solar Decommissioning Guidance to Local Officials

As demand for renewable energy generation continues to grow, many local decision makers are responding by creating ordinances that govern how projects will be built, managed, and decommissioned.

The Center for Rural Affairs has released a new wind and solar decommissioning resource to its Clean Energy Siting Library, a database intended to assist local zoning officials and decision makers in crafting ordinances.

While most renewable energy projects are expected to have a lifetime between 25 and 40 years, communities that host projects may have concerns over what happens to the infrastructure at the end of operation.

“As counties look to enact standards for renewable energy, planning for decommissioning is an important component,” said Cora Hoffer, senior policy associate with the Center for Rural Affairs. “Decommissioning plans can help spell out expectations around timelines for decommissioning, identify roles and responsibilities, and include detailed cost estimates.”

Once wind and solar projects reach the end of their operational lifespan, project owners may seek to decommission the system and several alternatives to decommissioning are available. It is often possible to extend an energy system’s performance period through repowering, refurbishment, and reuse.

“These options can offer counties cost savings and ongoing revenue opportunities as well as the benefit of maintaining current land use and utilizing existing infrastructure at the site,” said Hoffer.

The new decommissioning resource is intended to be short, digestible, and easy to use. It combines research and recommendations from reports on wind and solar energy guidance previously published by the Center.

To read and download a copy of the Center’s “Decommissioning Wind and Solar Energy Systems Fact Sheet,” visit the Clean Energy Siting Library at cfra.org/cleanenergysiting.

Center for Rural Affairs | www.cfra.org