Can I be cynical for a moment and conjecture that Silvi was willing to sell the acreage to Somerset County, not for altruistic reasons, but because the land in question did not have enough quality stone to make quarrying it financially feasible? Even if locating the solar array near the entrance has land disturbance equal to that of the higher site, might locating it further down not be better for less runoff volume? I would assume that the feasiblity studies done indicated better solar exposure at the higher elevation which is why Silvi would rather build there. I for one would rather see the installation done near the entrance to Gibralter.

So they want to clear cut 20 acres to build a solar farm, does that make any sense at all?

No it doesnt make sense....cutting down 2000 trees! This is a needlessly self-destructive over-reaction to a problem, that started by cutting down the trees etc...Wow!

I am all for solar energy usage but central jersey is turning into solar farmland. Every place you turn there are huge portions of land with trees being cleared for these areas. Think about water runoff, changing the environment with all the trees gone and a heap of other problems. These are large trees that take many, many years to grow.

I am going to cut down 5 trees over the next few years on my land so i can install solar on my roof. I will burn the trees in my stove for heat. Or I can just keep using energy that burns fossil fuel or uses foreign oil that may be funding terrorism. I rather see 2000 get cut down for a solar farm then for another strip mall.
Perhaps a solution can be that Gibraltar Quarry and the solar company are require to plant a tree for everyone the cut down and or other plantings that soak up water that will help with the water runoff.

I’m Sorry, but this thread is just too sad. So here we are years down the road and suddenly people discover Solar and Wind is not the panacea we were lead to believe. What do you mean you have to cur down tress, or OMG those windmills are uglier than a cell phone tower. Yes that's true my rends, and some of us have known that for years!

So now what Olli?

Japan has decommissioned all 50 of it’s nukes, in a knee jerk reaction to a once in a million year event. So you can count on global oil shortages in the very near future, because what else will Japan be burning? We’ve stopped deep sea drilling, and to boot America no longer has the foundries to even produce nuclear reactors, and frankly I doubt even the skilled tradesmen and engineers to build a plant anyway.

So where do we go??? Clean Coal? Maybe, but that was never given much funding, because it all went to Solar and Wind instead, so Clean Coal is still years down the road. Natural gas? Seems good to me, but not to the power to be.

Fracking? Good Lord know, that scares us!

Drill Alaska, build pipelines -- ain’t going to happen

So can someone tell me? Seriously, just how do we get out of the mess we’re in??

Conservation? I don't know about you all, but in my house if I conserve anymore I'll be drinking warm beer, and walking into the walls at night.

So I say Again -- How do we resolve this??

I'm a fan of what Mike Strizki does. I wish I had the money and technology to do that!
I'm also for wind and solar - in theory. Not sure how cost effective or efficient they are. Also not sure what impact the manufacture of solar cells is having. I've heard there are no more US manufacturers of solar cells (need to verify).
I also wonder what you do with them in 20 years or so, when they're old and don't work anymore. (Same question about the ones on the light poles everywhere.) Anyone have info on this?
My church installed a bunch of (the last US-made) panels, and they are saving a bunch on electricity.
Obviously, someone stands to make a boatload of money on this solar tech.
Again, not against it as long as it's all well thought out (especially those water issues).

BD -- Part 1. About saving a “bunch” It really comes down to how much actual savings are really generated. (no pun intended) I could rip my house down, and then rebuild it back the way it was, except useing every energy saving device on the market and tons of insulation. That would save a bunch on my energy cost, but when would I actually see a return on my investment? Unfortunately with today’s technology at its true cost point, it would take generations on generations!

I’ve followed Mike for quite some time now and I’m somewhat convinced if the government would get out of his way and allow high pressure hydrogen storage in one’s backyard, one could outfit one’s house for under $50K to convert over to a fully self supporting solar/hydrogen house. I find it crazy that people are so afraid of pressured hydrogen, when they will sit in their car with 20 gallons of gas almost under their seats stored in a simple 20-gauge steel tank held on by an even thinner gage steel straps. Some of us even pull that tank of gas into our house at night, and sleep with it! Of course there is always the pressurized propane for the grill sitting next to our houses too. Okay I’m off track, sorry.

Continued in next post.

Part 2

I do have one haunting question about solar. Solar fields take energy that once reached the surface of the earth and intercept it beforehand. Outside of the chemical mess these things are to make, and the ultimate disposal problems they will cause, what will be the ultimate impact of this redirection of energy that used to reach the earth now directed to electric production instead?

BD, have you read “The Science of Fear: Why We Fear the Things We Shouldn't--and Put Ourselves in Greater Danger” by Daniel Gardner? Great book!

Curt, maybe people fear hydrogen because the still remember the Hindenburg disaster from 75 years ago, who knows? As far as the redirection of solar energy, no different then your home blocking solar energy from reaching the Earth or the tress and other vegetation blocking it and redirecting it to photosynthesis. As far Mike Strizki he used $250,000 of the tax payers money for his system, even if the cost goes to $50k it still won't be feasible for most people. You don't need to rebuild your home to make it more energy efficient. I went thought the NJ clean energy program and had my attic plane sealed and more insulation added. I also replaced my windows with insulated low e glass. Pay back may take 10 or 15 years, it will all depend on future energy cost. But the key is to use less energy no matter what the source.
BD, who told you solar panels stop working after 20 years? Maybe that is when some of the manufacture's warranty runs out, now they are going to 25 years. But some of the first panels from the 70s are still producing electricity almost 40 years later. Studies show solar panels will lose about a half percent a year in efficiency, so after 40 years they’re still at about 80% of their original power ratings. There are companies out there already recycling panels.

why would anyone even consider cutting down a forrest to put up solar panels? This is disturbing! Put is somewhere else!