Solar energy has its backers who believe that clean and low-cost energy should prevail over critics who say itâs not really that cheap, and that its appearance is a visually jarring presence in the rural landscape.
Three solar experts who think about these issues shared their thoughts in an hourlong webinar on Monday as part of the virtual Pennsylvania Farm Show.
The panelists were Amanda Eyer of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Tom Murphy of Penn Stateâs Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research, and Dave Hartman of Penn State Extension.
Their focus was on the deployment of utility-scale solar, rather than the kind of solar panels that can keep electric fences charged and, with rooftop installations, power a house or barn.