FAQs

The civil construction of our projects is heavily regulated and we work to exceed those standards to avoid both adversely impacting neighbors by our project construction, and to prevent our electric generation facilities having drainage issues. Our projects must comply with federal, state, and local laws regarding wetlands waterways, stormwater runoff and drainage. The rainfall runoff and soil erosion from construction of the solar fields will be permitted and reviewed by state and local officials before construction. A storm water construction plan will be developed for our projects site per state and local requirements. The construction plans will include an Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP) and a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

Engineers evaluate the level of runoff generated during construction and whether the area of unvegetated disturbed ground would require management techniques to control erosion and transport of soils at unacceptable levels. Should soil erosion and sediment transport require mitigative measures, standard erosion and sediment control measures would be specified in the project design and implemented during construction.

During the operational life of a solar farm in Indiana, the spaces between the rows and under the solar panels will be vegetated with local pollinators. In general, the vegetation between the rows of solar panels is sufficient to slow the flow of runoff to acceptable rates such that additional control measures are not required. In the event existing drainage tiles are damaged during construction, we will immediately repair those tiles to ensure our projects improve drainage in the area.

Also known as decommissioning, planning for the end of a project’s life starts at the beginning. Unlike alternative types of development, such as residential or commercial construction, agricultural land will be returned to its original state and farming may resume at the end of a project’s useful life. Our decommissioning approach goes beyond state standards and provides third-party financial assurance ensuring 100% of the total decommissioning costs and site restoration with cost reviews every five years.

Our projects keep the local environment at top of mind. We undergo numerous wildlife studies to ensure that wildlife is not impacted by the project. Wildlife corridors are also inherently created by the unfenced public drains that divide our project funnel wildlife through to ensure that no animals are stuck and harmed in any project.

Advantage Renewables prioritizes protecting the rights and property values of all community members, including both participating and non-participating landowners. The company minimizes visual impacts by using evergreen tree barriers to maintain the rural aesthetic and provides long-term maintenance to preserve the screening.

Our projects will only take a very small portion of the farmland in any county we work with, and we only work with landowners who voluntarily lease their land while preserving it for future use by their families after our project is decommissioned. Advantage Renewables has voluntary siting standards beyond most county, state, and federal requirements to ensure that the fertility of all farmlands, participating and non-participating alike, are protected for decades to come.

Advantage Renewables carefully selects project sites based on anticipated capacity in the electric grid. Before engaging with landowners, we collaborate with local officials to build strong relationships and ensure our projects align with the community’s long-term planning and development goals. Our projects often represent some of the largest capital investments in the communities we serve, while avoiding the additional strain on local infrastructure that other economic development projects may impose.

Solar facilities represent a stable source of revenue for localities and impose very few costs on public services. The American Clean Power Association estimates that utility-scale solar projects pay over $550 million annually in land lease payments to landowners across the U.S. and pay over $375 million in annual tax payments to state and local jurisdictions.

Clean energy industries like solar are set to grow exponentially in the coming decade, and the way we manage that growth is critically important, we must foster a circular economy approach to clean energy that accounts for the life cycle of our products. According to the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office, 95% of the materials in solar panels are recyclable. The bulk of a solar panel’s weight (about 90%) is glass and aluminum.12 The remaining PV system materials include steel for racking, piles, and trackers; copper and aluminum for wiring; and plastics for electronics and wire housing. All of these materials are commonly recyclable in the U.S.

All our panels must undergo safety and stress testing in order to be utilized in our project, ensuring nothing can negatively impact the water supply. Our panels do not contain chemicals present in early solar panels that raised concern and are compliant with all local, state and federal guidelines.

The development and construction of a solar project typically takes 2–4 years, but significant delays, often caused by Independent System Operators (ISO) in interconnection queues, can extend this timeline by several years.

Modern solar panels are not just one-side rectangles reliant on direct sunlight. Modern bi-facial, sun tracking panels collect all different types of sun rays, even on cloudy days, making them much more efficient.

Solar panels are environmentally friendly, emitting no pollutants during operation, and are primarily made from abundant, non-toxic materials like silicon and aluminum, which can be recycled. Monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic panels dominate the market, and at the end of their life, they can be safely recycled or disposed of. Additionally, solar farms help reduce soil erosion, contributing to improved water quality.

Safety events that result in fires or explosions are rare. The U.S. energy storage industry has prioritized the deployment of safety measures such as emergency ventilation to reduce the buildup of flammable gases. Such ventilation can reduce the effectiveness of fire suppression, so an increasing number of manufacturers have adopted a strategy of allowing fires in individual battery enclosures to burn out in a controlled manner, while also preventing the propagation of fire between enclosures. The rationale is that fire consumes any flammable gases as they are produced, thus preventing explosions. Additionally, allowing the battery to burn avoids problems with reignition which has been an issue with electric vehicle fires. The monitoring systems of energy storage containers include gas detection and monitoring to indicate potential risks, and they are remotely monitored 24/7.

After years of technology improvements and testing, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 855 reflects the current best practice for preventing explosions, mitigating fire risk, and safely containing fires if one were to occur. NFPA 855 provides the standard for the installation of stationary energy storage systems including mandatory requirements for, and explanations of, the safety strategies and features of energy storage systems (ESS). This standard also lists several submittals that must be made to local governments, including:
• Hazard Mitigation Analysis
• Emergency Response Plan
• Details of all safety systems
• Results of fire and explosion testing to UL 9540A

Critically, UL 9540A testing evaluates the thermal runaway fire propagation in battery energy storage systems and will bring clarity on the performance of a BESS under a possible thermal event that may occur.

Energy storage fundamentally improves the way we generate, deliver, and consume electricity. Battery energy storage systems can perform, among others, the following functions:
1. Provide the flexibility needed to increase the level of variable solar and wind energy that can be
accommodated on the grid.
2. Help provide back-up power during emergencies like blackouts from storms, equipment
failures, or accidents.
3. Lower costs Energy storage can lead to long-term savings by allowing users to store excess energy and use it during peak hours. This reduces the overall cost of energy by creating a downward pressure on prices when demand is very high.
4. Balance power supply and demand instantaneously, which makes the electrical grid more
reliable, resilient, efficient, and cleaner than ever before

While energy storage helps integrate more renewable energy into the grid, reducing overall emissions and intermittency, opponents point out that the production and disposal of storage components, particularly batteries, can have environmental consequences. As the industry matures, recycling of batteries will become more and more efficient and will allow the metals in batteries to be reused for future production.

Modern energy storage technology has rapidly advanced in recent years and incorporates multiple layers of safety systems, including advanced fire suppression, thermal management, and early detection technologies. Today, batteries are the most widespread technology used and improved battery chemistry and enhanced battery management systems (BMS) have helped revolutionize the industry. While some batteries made with nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) could be more prone to overheating, grid energy storage utilizes lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that are more thermally stable and greatly reduce any risk of fire.

Energy storage, most commonly lithium-ion batteries, which are the same technology as the batteries used in your laptop or cell phone, store electricity generated from energy projects and discharges it later. When paired with solar, energy storage balances the second-by-second supply and demand of power and can shift energy during times of abundant supply to times of peak demand or when the sun isn’t shining.

We aim to leave farmland better than we found it. Topsoil will not be removed during construction. Solar panels have steel beams that should be able to be driven into the ground without disturbing the fertility of the ground. Additionally, converting a field to a renewable energy project significantly reduces erosion, which allows natural soil formation processes to resume and enhancing soil quality for future agricultural use.

Advantage Renewables is committed to minimizing the visual impact through screening our projects to preserve the rural aesthetic. All our projects utilize proactive visual barriers that provide a natural landscape buffer of evergreen trees between the project and any neighbors. We will provide long term maintenance to preserve the screening and go above and beyond to enhance the visual appeal of the project area.

Our engagements are lease options that are activated when we receive Notice to Proceed from the electric grid regulators. Also known as decommissioning, planning for the end of a project’s life starts at the beginning. Unlike alternative types of development, such as residential or commercial construction, agricultural land will be returned to its original state and farming may resume at the end of a project’s useful life. Our decommissioning approach goes beyond state standards and provides third-party financial assurance ensuring 100% of the total decommissioning costs and site restoration with cost reviews every five years.

The power generated from these projects is typically sold into the electric grid, which is regulated by the Independent System Operator (ISO) in your region of the United States. It then flows to the nearest point of demand, whether that be a home or a local business.

Before we are able to sell power into the grid, option payments to participating landowners and community involvement start early in the project development. Participating landowners and local governments should expect the development and construction of a projects typically takes 2–4 years, but significant delays, often caused by Independent System Operators (ISO) in interconnection queues, can extend this timeline by several years.

Depending on the type of project, the useful life of these projects are up to 40 years and these contracts are structured to ensure you and your community receive benefits through the entire useful life.

Advantage Renewables exceeds setbacks regulated by state and local governments to ensure we are respectful of neighboring landowners. Every participating landowner and neighboring residence to the project has a voice in transparent project development.

Advantage Renewables leases land at rates significantly higher than traditional agricultural use, helping families retain ownership and control of their property for the benefit of future generations.

Advantage Renewables prefers to lease properties from participating property owners so they can retain local control and ownership of the land for the long-term benefit of their families.