How Alliant Energy’s solar panels plan to power Union County

A solar ordinance has become an ongoing discussion for Union County as Alliant Energy has proposed a project in the area. Alliant’s Justin Foss explained how solar panels work, their effect on property, the environment and if they can withstand the test of Iowa weather.

Foss said solar panel technology continues to evolve to become bifacial.

“So those panels actually collect energy from the front and the back so we get the reflection off the ground, too” he said.

Foss said solar technology has progressed to the point where panels can avoid the pitfalls of clouds or snow piles blocking the sun.

“Under overcast skies, we are still able to generate solar energy,” he said. “And in fact, on some of the darkest nights when we actually have a really bright moon, you can actually see a little bit of generation.”

Foss added commercial solar panels can shift and tilt, allowing any snow accumulation to fall off.

Foss addressed how Alliant Energy plans to maintain vegetation around the panels.

“We’re really focused on sustainability and looking towards that long-term view,” Foss said. “We’re looking to plant plants underneath our solar panels as opposed to bringing in rock and gravel and turning a whole field into rock and gravel. So, with that being said, we’re really looking to put on some native, sustainable plantings that will help us create that positive impact to the local environment with increased pollinators and restoring some of that land to the prairie qualities that it has the whole length of the time that our panels are installed.”

Foss added he expects Alliant Energy’s panels to have a lifespan between 30 and 50 years.

Comparing the energy generated by wind and solar, Foss said solar generates between two and two-and-a-half megawatts of power and one individual panel can generate 500 kilowatts. Each wind turbine, on the other hand, can produce 1.5 megawatts of power at a rate of 12 miles-per-hour.

Foss said that few in the industry compare the two energy sources because they bring different benefits and complement each other.

“Solar is close to the ground, so it’s more susceptible to storms, it doesn’t impact sight lines, like wind does,” he said. “Solar generates during the day and afternoon, when we typically see the peak on our energy grid and we know wind produces really strong in the overnight hours and in the winter and the fall, especially in the spring, where solar doesn’t.”

Foss said Alliant’s panels are mostly made of glass. Additionally, they generate energy through a semiconductor inside the panel that is exposed to light and transfers it into negatively charged electrons, which then pass through an electrical current like any other circuit.

Occasional high wind speeds and hail storms may impact the functionality of solar panels. However, Foss assured his panels are strong enough to withstand storms and build toward utility scale for customers.

Chase Coleman, Alliant’s corporate communications director, said the panels’ technology are designed to minimize the damage of hail storms.

“In regards to the hail, these panels have sensors on them that can sense that hail damage and tilt automatically so that hail will not impact it directly or horizontally,” Coleman said.

Foss added, “our equipment might be a little bit stronger than what you might see for a typical home or even a small or even a small commercial application for a customer.

Foss said solar is quickly becoming a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels.

“We’re seeing leaps and bounds of growth and improvement in the technology that we’re seeing for solar panels,” Foss said. “Making them a lot more cost-effective and we’re seeing that they bring benefits to customers as we work to provide stability in rates but also improve and reduce our emissions and have that positive, long-term impact on the environment and on the communities where we are.”