Frequently Asked Questions

Vesper Energy provides innovative solutions to today’s complex energy challenges. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vesper Energy is comprised of professionals who have collectively delivered more than 10 GW of renewable energy projects globally. Today, Vesper Energy’s development pipeline includes over 55 renewable energy and energy storage assets with a generating capacity of 17 GW; enough to power more than 2 million homes. Working with their customers, communities, and business partners, Vesper Energy develops, owns, and operates renewable energy projects across the United States with the goal to build a better energy infrastructure. www.vesperenergy.com/about 

We pursue projects where we have earned the trust of landowners and here in Armstrong & Indiana Counties, our partners are excited to be a part of this project that will provide numerous benefits to their local community. 

The Sunny Fields Renewable Energy project will create a new, long-term source of funding for the community, including significant benefits for area schools. The project will help workers go through retraining and create jobs in Armstrong & Indiana Counties, both during construction and operations. They will also hire the services and supplies of a variety of local vendors. Sunny Fields Renewable Energy will also preserve farmland for future generations, making this project a great option for the community. To learn more about solar energy benefits, please head to our Benefits page.

Sunny Fields Renewable Energy is committed to developing a vegetation management plan which adheres to state and local rules. Development of these plans would include consideration of the most appropriate plants for the area.

Sunny Fields Renewable Energy is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs. Once operational, the facility will also support 1-3 long-term positions, for which we will aim to hire local workers.

Sunny Fields Renewable Energy is committed to developing a vegetation management plan which adheres to state and local rules. Development of these plans would include consideration of the most appropriate plants for the area.

Vesper Energy will adhere to all state and local rules regarding decommissioning to ensure the landowners and taxpayers are not impacted. Our lease agreements with landowners and agreements with local jurisdictions will detail these obligations, including provisions to provide necessary resources to remove equipment if the facility is decommissioned. Once the equipment is removed, the land will be ready to farm as it will be in essentially the same condition it is today.

The vast majority of solar panels installed in the U.S. are still within their operational lifespans (typically 20-30 years). As such, cost-effective opportunities to recycle solar panels are limited. However, this is an issue the solar industry is working proactively to address. As more solar panels reach their end of life in the coming years, opportunities to recover and recycle the materials in solar panels will expand. Details about panel recycling can be found on the United States Environmental Protection Agency website at: https://www.epa.gov/hw/solar-panel-recycling.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) use the same technology found in many widely used in consumer products, tools and electric vehicles, and well-designed BESS are safe and reliable. Fires involving BESS can occur, but only in extreme conditions. To reduce the risk of fire and ensure the safety of the system, each BESS is equipped with automatic fire suppression equipment, and its own air conditioning or cooling system to ensure it operates within the ideal temperature range. If a fire does occur, it is generally easily contained, and has only minimal, temporary impact on local air quality. Vesper Energy will work with local fire departments and emergency responders to ensure they have adequate training and equipment to respond to any safety issues that may arise.

The US EPA classifies and determines what qualifies as hazardous waste. Hazardous waste can range from liquids, solids, gases, or sludges and can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes. Recently, the US EPA released guidance requiring many types of lithium-ion batteries to be disposed of as hazardous waste. Sunny Fields Renewable Energy is committed to following pertinent federal, state, and local disposal and recycling regulations. The high-quality Li-Ion batteries used for Vesper Energy’s BESS projects can be repurposed and reused in other utility-scale battery applications or downcycled and repurposed for other technology such as phones and tools. Each Li-ion battery unit is encased and compartmentalized to prevent any materials from interacting with the surrounding area. Sunny Fields Renewable Energy is committed to following all relevant federal, state, and local regulations regarding environmental safety and will regularly review and update its policies to align with industry best practices.

Widespread adoption of BESS is still relatively new, so recycling opportunities are currently limited. However, the energy storage industry is working to develop recycling opportunities to meet future demand. Another option is to “down-cycle” batteries and give them a second life in a different application when their performance falls below the level needed for a utility-scale power plant.

A comprehensive emergency management plan will be created prior to construction. This will ensure safety personnel in the community are trained and able to respond appropriately.

No. Vesper Energy is committed to only using solar panels that meet or exceed environmental safety standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These standards ensure that during normal operations -- as well as in the unlikely event a solar panel is damaged -- the panels will not release any substances or materials that are considered hazardous under federal law.

Solar panels generate the most power in direct sunlight, but they can also produce power using indirect or diffuse sunlight – so they still work on cloudy days. In fact, rain helps to keep solar panels operating efficiently by keeping them clean. Additionally, this project will be paired with energy storage, which allows for the storage of energy during peak solar production times that can be used during peak energy usage. 

Yes! Solar panels work well in cold weather. Snow and ice are also generally not an issue – small amounts of snow are usually blown off by the wind, or snow may slide off on its own because the panels are tilted at an angle to capture the maximum amount of sunlight. Both help keep the modules clean throughout the winter season.