Amherst Tries for Largest Solar Farm in Mass, Residents Reluctant

Proposed Location on Old Landfill courtesy of Blue Wave Capital

With a proposed plan from Blue Wave Capital, Amherst hopes to become home to the largest solar farm in Massachusetts.

The 4.75 megawatt solar panel farm will cover 30 acres of the capped old landfill south of Belchertown road and produce 6 million kilowatt-hours per year. Blue Wave Capital predicts that it will save the town $30 million in 20 years and create another $5 million in property tax payments.

The solar farm will decrease energy costs for residents as well as get rid of 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide (15,000 cars-worth) emissions by reducing need for coal and nuclear energy.

However, not every resident is eager to act on this seemingly perfect offer.

Residents of the abutting Amherst Woods neighborhood have formed an opposition to the proposal as it currently stands.

Survey on Renewable Energy

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Results:

The purpose of my survey was to accomplish two things; to see how people thought of renewable energy and to more importantly to see how people felt when it was “in their backyard”.

My first question, simply asking if people thought favorably about renewable energy was met with 100 percent affirmative answers. Everyone that took my survey approve of energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass.

The second question asked about solar/wind farms in people’s “backyards”. This vote was split in half. Many said simply that they were fine or in favor of having the renewable energy plants in their back yards. One person wrote that they already have one.

The other half answered that they would not want to have it in their backyard. They suggested that the farms or power plants be put in more remote, non-residential areas.