Renewable Energy
The Atlantic Coast Conservancy, Inc. is examining the agency, efficacy, and scope of the integration of renewable energy production on perpetually conserved land in compliance with the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) (https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/inflation-reduction-act). The IRA is a game-changer for public and nonprofit entities looking to take a front-seat role in building the American clean energy economy. Thanks to IRA’s transformative “direct pay” provisions, tax-exempt and governmental entities can now receive a cash payment equal to the full value of the tax credit for eligible clean energy investments.
In tandem with the IRA, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Environmental and Climate Justice Grants program (https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-grants-funding-and-technical-assistance) provides funding for financial and technical assistance to carry out environmental and climate justice activities to benefit underserved and overburdened communities. Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grants provide
$3 billion in competitive, 3-year grants to states, Tribes, and municipalities and community-based nonprofit organizations for financial and technical assistance to address clean air and climate pollution in
disadvantaged communities.
Agrivoltaics
Most large, ground‐mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are installed on land used only for solar energy production. It is possible to couple solar energy production with conventional agricultural activities on the same land which could provide far-reaching benefits to both endeavors. This coupling of those two activities is known as agrivoltaics or dual-use solar. In order to showcase agrivoltaic processes, the Atlantic Coast Conservancy, Inc. is undertaking the construction of a 5 megawatt (MW) solar array on perpetually conserved land located in Pickens County, Georgia that will incorporate the grazing of cattle under and among the panels of the solar array. On this particular project, the ACC will act as a partner in an effort to provide renewable energy resources on behalf of thirty-eight of Georgia’s Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) and the approximate 4.5 million members that they serve.
Agrivoltaics in action:
https://www.coagrivoltaic.org/