Is it time to prepare for Renewable Energy Sources?

During our last Presidential election (and likely to be a topic in every election into the future), one vision for the future of the US electric consumption placed a strong emphasis on renewable sources of energy. And why not – after all, they provide a non-polluting, automatically renewing, low-impact source of electricity. Even in the early days of Elizabethton our first sources of electricity came from a renewable source – hydroelectricity from Wilbur and Watauga Dams.

While large-scale renewable source of electricity is much more efficient, we are starting to see more and more small-scale renewable sources appear in our community. We have a bank and veterinarian who have solar panels on their roofs and a residence that has placed solar panels in the back yard. Coming on the US market are Tesla’s new solar shingles, a stand-alone solar panel unit called SmartFlower, and varies wind turbines which can work in high and low wind environments. As these technologies become more popular and the prices become cheaper, we will likely see an increase in local usage.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, small-scale solar (think residential or small business solar units) is expected to increase by 23 percent nationally during 2018 and it makes good sense! Adding a solar unit lowers or possibly eliminates your electric bill depending on your electric usage and how efficient your house is. Additionally, in natural disasters like we saw in Puerto Rico recently, buildings and homes that had solar and wind capabilities were back up and running in a day or two compared with others connected to the grid who still may not have power weeks after the disaster.

A concern the community may have as these small-scale energy sources grow is the location and appearance of these sources. Solar panels may not look bad on the top of a building, but what about in your neighbor’s back yard, or what about a 30-foot pole with a turbine on top in your neighbor’s back yard? Aesthetics and appearance of these renewable sources can have a negative impact on home values and even the community as a whole.

What are your thoughts? Is it time for us to start considering aesthetic and location requirements for small-scale renewable energy sources? Tell us what you think we should require. Let’s talk about it!