Family farms’ land rights at heart of Person County solar permit decision
Land needed for electricity production exceeds current county limits. A ‘no’ vote will make virtually all energy farms not economically viable and, experts say, will limit the rights of land owners.
ROXBORO, N.C. – An upcoming Person County Board of Commissioners meeting regarding a solar farm permit is about whether the county will allow additional electricity and lower utility rates for residents.
But advocates say the decision also is about private property rights and economic freedom, particularly for family farmers.
The proposed Hyco Solar Project could lower electric bills for residents who pay some of the highest utility rates in the country. The Person County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on the proposal at its February 2 meeting.
“The ability for farmers and ranchers to use their land as they wish is at the heart of this decision,” said Charlie Kolean, president of the Private Property Rights Institute, a group who advocates for property owners’ use of their own land. “Will the government restrict their economic freedom? This is the question the Board of Commissioners will answer.”
Currently, Person County limits solar projects to 100 acres. The proposed project would be 500 acres, but experts say the larger size is needed to make the investment viable and to produce the larger amount of needed power.
At the heart of the debate is whether family farmers will be allowed to use their property for alternative economic projects — needed additional income for farms who are always at the mercy of global trade and commodity prices.
North Carolina has more than 34,000 family-owned farms. That accounts for about 84 percent of all farms in the state. In Person County, more than 90 percent of the 364 farms are classified as family-owned farms, according to government data.
The average size of a solar farm in the United States is 150 to 350 acres, and 86 percent of new utility-scale solar capacity installed in 2022 came from systems greater than 50 megawatts. A minimum of 350 acres is required for such a system.
In addition, 52% of installed utility-scale capacity in 2022 came from systems greater than 100 megawatts. Using a crude proxy of land size based on 6–7 acres/megawatts, a 100-acre site roughly corresponds to 14–20 megawatts of capacity.
Therefore, proponents say Person County’s current 100-acre restriction would prohibit virtually all of the economically viable projects. The proposed Hyco project would be 500 acres. Experts say the larger size is needed to make the investment viable and to produce the larger amount of needed power.
Right now, Person County uses about 502,600 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity per year. That’s roughly 12.9 MWh per person annually, or about 32 (MWh) per household.
A vote by the county Board of Commissioners to wave restrictions on the proposed project would increase capacity by as much as 16 percent. That, experts say, could ease the cost of electricity to residents.
Currently, utility bills for Person County households are about $170 per month. That’s higher than the average North Carolina household, and recent Roxboro data shows a double-digit increase just in the last year.
Cypress Creek Renewables, the company behind the Hyco project, has developed more than 250 solar projects across North Carolina.
The company says the project will deliver more than $7.5 million in county tax revenue over its 40-year lifespan that will go toward funding schools, roads and emergency services. It will create 95 construction jobs, several long-term positions and attract new business investments.
Cypress Creek says the project will be designed to blend in with the landscape, operate quietly and cleanly and will protect wildlife.
The company says the project will be developed in full compliance with land use requirements, will involve minimal environmental disruption compared to other land use types and will not deplete water resources, construct large building foundations or cover the natural environment with asphalt.
“Cypress Creek is committed to mitigating our environmental impact to ensure that the project provides a net benefit to the residents and wildlife of Person County and North Carolina,” its website says. “Our solar equipment adheres to the highest national standards (ANSI and UL) and has no impact on the atmosphere, soil or groundwater. Numerous studies and years of testing, which Cypress Creek is happy to share, support this.”
It says the Hyco facility will be monitored remotely 24/7, with local technicians handling maintenance and emergency response.
Person County Board of Commissioners members are Shery Wilborn, Antoinetta Royster, Jason Thomas, Kyle Puryear and Donald Long.