Union County weighs solar power options for county facilities

Union County officials are weighing solar power for county facilities, and the key taxpayer question is whether the county would spend more up front or save on electric bills over time. Nearby counties have already tested that tradeoff, from Centre County's $1.6 million correctional-facility array to Bedford County's jail project pitched as a multimillion-dollar saver.

At the Centre County Correctional Facility near Bellefonte, a 1.197 MWdc ground-mount solar array went in late 2020. County materials said that installation could save as much as $6 million over 40 years, and Centre County later approved a third phase that would add about one megawatt at the facility and was projected to save more than $5 million.

Bedford County offered another local example when leaders broke ground in 2018 on a solar project at the Bedford County Correctional Facility, with the project described as a way to save millions in energy costs. Cambria County has also moved forward with solar projects for public buildings, putting another nearby county on record as treating solar as a facilities and budget decision rather than only an environmental gesture.

The state framework helps explain why the math can change from county to county. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection maintains a Solar Energy Resource Hub for local governments, and DEP and the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development jointly administer the Solar Energy Program, which provides grant and loan funds for solar projects in Pennsylvania. DEP guidance says panels can be installed as roof mounts or ground mounts, and each option comes with different costs, performance tradeoffs and local permit requirements. A June 13, 2024 look at solar ordinances across Pennsylvania found that local rules vary widely, which means zoning and permitting can quickly become part of the price tag.

Union County has already wrestled with solar policy in another form. On Feb. 24, 2022, two solar farms planned for the county had won state approval, while county officials considered whether a new law could stop more solar development. A 2022 Bucknell University student project said solar in Union County had the potential to become widespread and offer energy independence to local residents and businesses, a reminder that the county's current solar discussion sits at the intersection of utility bills, land use and long-term budget pressure.