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By Alison Despathy
What does Vermont mean to you?
If farms, forests and stewardship come to mind, please read on
In 1925, Vermont had over 3.3 million acres of agricultural land. Fast forward to 2022 and this number has dwindled to 543,096 acres.
Many factors have led to declines in agricultural land over the years but a recent contributor to this alarming trend is industrial scale solar development which brings ecological devastation and threatens food security. Steep reductions in agricultural land, specifically due to industrial solar, are happening nationwide with several states such as Oregon, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey passing laws and crafting legislation to protect agricultural land.
Out-of-state commodities investors, global corporations and renewable energy developers are purchasing and leasing land in Vermont because it is comparatively cheap and subsidies and tax incentives for renewable energy development exist as well as high market rates for the ownership of this ‘renewable energy’. Nearly all large solar projects developed by “Vermont solar developers” are sold to out-of-state hedge funds and investment banks after permitting or construction. This situation is creating the perfect storm for Vermonters and our cherished environment to be preyed upon while wealthy renewable energy developers and investors reap the benefits
Vermont is poised to become an industrial solar plantation with developers selling high value renewable energy power and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to the highest bidders. The power does not have to be used or stay in Vermont and other states can buy this power or the RECs and claim they have met their state’s “renewable energy mandates’. Corporations can also purchase these RECs to claim they are a “green” company which then boosts their ESG (Environmental-Social- Governance) rating and attracts investors.
Keep in mind, there is NO energy transition happening. With the massive expansion and implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of things (IoT) in all sectors, energy consumption will continue to increase exponentially. Governments, healthcare, education, industry, Hollywood, sports teams and individual use of AI all contribute to this unfathomable growth and its unimaginable power and data storage demands. These technologies consume land, water, and energy at rates never witnessed before. People have been sold a lie when it comes to the ‘energy transition’.
The days of reduced consumption are long gone. Striving for continued efficiency remains a worthy goal yet industrial scale solar power, in our often cloudy Vermont, when sited in the wrong place, is inefficient, unreliable, and destructive to entire ecosystems and food security.
It all sounds hypocritical because it is.
How do Vermonters feel about this?
On June 3, I visited a proposed industrial solar site in Fair Haven, VT. This project would cover 110 acres –yes that is 110 acres–of absolutely beautiful, high quality agricultural land. This project is under review at the Public Utility Commission (PUC).
It was heartbreaking to walk this land and picture it with the topsoil ripped off and the earth heavily compacted and covered with industrial solar panels causing erosion and permanently compromising the health of this farm land. Especially given the fact that taxpayers are subsidizing this development– a form of corporate welfare–, the power purchase agreement does not have to be established prior to approval, Vermont does not hold any guarantee of the power, Vermonters may be on the hook for higher electricity rates and increased transmission and distribution costs, developers are positioned to rake in unimaginable revenue and the permanent loss of Vermont’s agricultural land is guaranteed.
This is clearly a lose-lose situation for Vermont. Sadly, this Fair Haven project is only one of several industrial scale solar projects proposed at this time by the Connecticut based commodities trading company –Freepoint Commodities, a/k/a VT Real Estate Holdings. In Shaftsbury Vermont, Freepoint Commodities has also applied to the PUC for a 20MW solar project which has drawn significant opposition from the surrounding landowners and communities. The Shaftsbury project would cover 80 acres of prime agricultural land and rolling hillsides. This project includes 45 acres of deforestation with documented compromise to ecosystems and native species. There is also discussion of Freepoint’s 50MW industrial solar project proposal in Panton, VT which would host a 300 acre industrial solar plantation on mostly agricultural land
For years, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets has been educating legislators at the State House about the alarming loss of prime agricultural land. The Democratic leadership has taken zero action to protect prime agricultural land and prevent Vermont from this predatory behavior by well-funded, lawyer-heavy renewable energy developers .
The controversial Renewable Energy Standard(RES) was passed last session by the supermajority, despite the Governor’s veto. This RES mandates aggressive requirements for renewable energy in VT yet fails to address these unresolved issues of siting and project placement, appropriate industrial solar regulations, expensive distribution and transmission costs, ratepayer protections, and the unreliable nature of renewable energy, especially in Vermont.
Special interests such as Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), a well funded trade group representing renewable energy developers, designed this legislation and lobbied hard for the RES. Democratic leadership further overlooked significant details such as property and education tax rates for renewable energy projects that benefit investment banks and hedge funds.
Grassroots environmental groups such as Vermonters for a Clean Environment (VCE), as well as the Department of Public Service attempted to address these deficiencies and were ignored. VCE has continually advocated for the proper siting of renewable energy projects. Annette Smith, Executive Director of VCE, has regularly shared information and reports encouraging solar development on the built environment —meaning parking lots, buildings, homes, landfills, brownfields — in order to protect Vermont’s deeply cherished ecosystems, forest and agricultural lands.
Representative Rob North (R-Addison-3) introduced a recent bill to repeal the Renewable Energy Standard due to the risks of intermittent renewable energy and the heavily increased costs to Vermont ratepayers. Governor Scott’s administration has also offered a bill to amend the RES in an attempt to address the gaps that place Vermonters and our environment at risk.
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Categories: Agriculture, Energy
Re: “The Democratic leadership has taken zero action to protect prime agricultural land and prevent Vermont from this predatory behavior by well-funded, lawyer-heavy renewable energy developers.”
Thank you for ever more reasonable logic, Alison. I, for one, get it, and continue to vote for candidates that demonstrate at least a modicum of common sense. But delusional people are easily enticed by, at best, the dangling of short term lollipops, or at worst, sugar-coated poisoned apples.
The key here, that you emphasize in your final analysis, is to elect those who would repeal the Renewable Energy Standard. It really is just that simple. But we’re finding that common sense simplicity is not the purview of a deluded electorate. And I, for one, have not figured out how to reason with them… ‘for they are a breed apart’.
Please, keep trying, Alison. The only thing worse than an ignored voice of reason is no voice of reason at all.
And Republicans are immune to kowtowing to special interest groups and being in favor of market economics driving policy???
Re: “And Republicans are immune to kowtowing to special interest groups and being in favor of market economics driving policy???”
Well, I’m an Independent and favor free market economies. Whether or not other Independents or Republicans kowtow to special interest groups, I can’t say. But the point you seem to be missing here is, that today, in Vermont, Democrats are in charge. And if the shoe fits, they should wear it.
This is an enlightening article to read first thing in the AM. Connects the dots between what you see in the fields as you drive the VT roads and read the data withing this article. Brings the hidden reality regarding what you see. Vermont is for sale.
Didn’t the holy bastion of the Dome inhabitants just raised property values to collect more taxes, being lands in the shade(s) of the solar panels—that’s acreage that is decreased in value. Upside down Dome thinking. Yet the value of what those panels output is increased given markets outside of VT. VT is for sale.
Ya the beauty of those panels.
Interesting the mentality of the Flatlanders that moved into VT, got elected to a state they thought was a hilly garden and allowed without restriction these Chinese products. Also consider the scarred mountain tops, fluttering windmills, more energy to ship out of the state. Hills and fields gone, but taxes are here to stay.
Not only have Flatlanders destroyed the state, companies mentioned think VT is a financial dairy barn full of teats to milk. Do they pay taxes to VT for the milk they squeeze from the VT cash cow. Vermont is their oyster and they are shucking it.
The root of financial evil, Flatlanders under the Dome. Wonder if they appreciate the beauty they caused.
I’m a ‘flatlander’, Mr. Chase. What say you? Can you find any instance of me promoting so-called ‘financial evil’?
Did I write anything about you personally??? You’re way off base. If you’ve read my comments, you’d know somewhat about me.
I can only judge the book by what is written in it.
Did you write anything about me personally??? Yes.
You said; “Flatlanders destroyed the state,…”. I’m a ‘flatlander’. That’s personal.
Suffice it to say – that someone is a ‘flatlander’ is an irrelevant point. Let’s stick to assessing details and actions, not someone’s point of origin. As Don Keelan pointed out back in 2021, even Green Mountain Boy, Ethan Allen, was a ‘flatlander’.
Adding to the insanity, Vermont’s share of the deficit spending $7 billion “Solar for All” program included in Biden’s IRA is $65 million, the highest per capital award of any state thanks to Bernie Sanders. Vermont has the least solar potential of any state due to the short, mostly cloudy winter days and yet already has more solar panels per capital than any other state.
The Solar for All program aims to make solar panels available to low income Vermonters, as if that was a priority for people who have much more pressing needs such as housing, healthcare, jobs, heating, transportation. Solar panels? Not so much.
The program is really not about addressing low income Vermonters need for solar panels. It is about making the solar subsidy scam available to developers and landlords where the generous federal subsidies are free money. Anything to keep the solar rollout from collapsing.
25% of the $65 million pays for administrative costs – more state employees.
The downside for Vermont’s ratepayers is that low income participants get a 20% decrease in their electric bills paid for by higher rates for everyone else.
This wasteful and unnecessary program should be cancelled, if not by DOGE then by voluntary action by responsible state policy makers.
It would be interesting to determine how many renewable energy project related kick backs that Vermont Legislators are receiving. If none well that is something good. However you make excellent points about the destruction of agricultural and forest land, both of which contribute more to clean energy than environmentally destructive solar. This is is a lose lose situation for Vermont. Degraded land, misallocation of resources that are better suited for dairy goat, sheep and some crops. This amounts to exploitation and financial colonialism since there is not long term benefit to Vermonters. The exponential energy needs of AI are a huge problem, and few sane voices are even discussing this. One needs to always ask, Just because We can, should We? There are many downsides to AI, too numerous to delineate in a short comment. Our legislators are driven by an ideology based on nothing but the myth of human caused climate change. This myth has been incrediby well funded for decades and started with the Rockefeller family. This is well documented in a book entitled Controlling the Game by Jacob Nordegård. ( Nordegaard ). The sad thing as that these people are seemingly ingonorant of actual science and instead rely on social sciences, such as environmental science policy etc, to form their opinions.
One such infamous kickback began in 2012 as the solar lobby began its infiltration of the Vermont legislature. Duane Peterson and James Moore, President and Clean Energy Program director, respectively, of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) founded a solar company start-up called SunCommon while lobbying the legislature for solar subsidies. They took the startup private while still lobbying on behalf of VPIRG and, in 2021, sold the company, privately, to iSun for $40 Million. Today the parent company of iSun is in bankruptcy.
But these lower-tier players aren’t the only ones with potential conflicts of interest. Vermont’s PUC commissioner, Margaret Cheney, regulated Telcom company T-Mobile, all while T-Mobile made campaign contributions to our now illustrious Senator, Peter Welch, who was a congressman at the time. Of course, they all claimed everything was above board. But isn’t it interesting to note that Margaret Cheney is Peter Welch’s wife?
And then we have Bernie Sanders funneling $200 thousand of his campaign cash to his wife and stepson’s non-profit. An NGO in which step-son, David Driscoll, was reportedly paid a ‘six-figure salary’ for doing ‘very little work’.
Is it any wonder Vermont was ranked the most corrupt State in the country in 2021?
“Okay, so once again we have a really diverse mix of states here, and Vermont being on top is kind of a surprise. I, personally, wouldn’t even have thought of Vermont when it comes to corruption, but the data shows a huge number of corruption convictions per capita, and a relatively low state integrity score.” – Mike Wehner, BGR, technology news web site.
Just sayin’.
want to end kickbacks and apply equal justice for all? County grand juries and their enforcement tools, which are called for in the Constitution, are We the People’s method to correct corruption and abuse. It’s time to turn the tables on evil. Check out tacticalcivics dot com for the plan and training.
Who is charged with presenting the case to the Grand Jury? The AG? States Attorneys willing to take on the AG? They are all ‘Deep State’ Dems or must be willing to sacrifice everything as our Forefathers were
Grand juries have full powers to investigate “anything “, presentments are not legally required.
Maybe we need to construct billboards to hide the super ugly immense fields of solar panels along our once beautiful scenic roads. Solar panels should only be allowed on roof tops and removal or repair, to be assumed for by the owner, not a taxpayer. I want the solar panels in plain sight removed, I want small dams to create lakes for hydro and recreation. I want nuclear plants. I want more students per class and less incompetent instructors. I want a real deadline for the legislature and what is not finished is taken up the next session, I demand voter ID proof. A 50% property Tax cuts for over 66 and another 25 at 76 and zero after 85. Must have lived in VT 10 years in order to be elected to selectman, mayor or above. What would you want done to make Vermont great again?
What is happening, by the Democrats, to Vermont and it’s citizens is comparable to throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I’m no expert on energy subsidies, but I would bet that subsidies to solar companies is on par with subsidies to oil and gas companies.
I agree that some large solar projects are not well placed, how about if we cover commercial parking lots and rooftops, and some Interstate medians with community-owned solar?
Vermont solar gets enormous subsidies worth more than the value of the electricity generated. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, get taxed, as with recent laws like the Clean Heat Standard, that impose costs estimated at as much as $4 per gallon of heating fuel. Vermont also is suing fossil fuel companies for millions in ill-defined damages caused by fossil fuels.
On a national basis the subsidies for various fuel sources on a per MWh basis (apples to apples) is as follows according to Grok. Solar receives $31.50 per MWh compared to $1.27 for fossil fuels.
Subsidies per MWh (Calculated):
• Solar:
• Subsidy: $7.5 billion ÷ 238.1 million MWh = ~$31.50/MWh.
• Wind:
• Subsidy: $3.6 billion ÷ 434.3 million MWh = ~$8.29/MWh.
• Fossil Fuels (combined):
• Subsidy: $3.2 billion ÷ 2.5176 billion MWh = ~$1.27/MWh.
• Coal (assuming all coal subsidies are for electricity): If coal received ~$0.848 billion (proportional to its 26.5% share of fossil fuel subsidies, based on production share), then $0.848 billion ÷ 828 million MWh = ~$1.02/MWh.
• Natural Gas: If natural gas received ~$2.112 billion (proportional to its 66.7% share), then $2.112 billion ÷ 1.68 billion MWh = ~$1.26/MWh.
Another hit out of the part, Alison. THANK YOU for bringing this topic into the larger discussion about Vermont’s inherent qualities and strengths being flushed down the toilet. The industrial solar installations are out of hand, to say the least. Yes, those “in power” seem to be blind to what they should be able to easily see under their noses, and susceptible to short-sighted shiny solutions, in the name of “climate change”, ignoring other, better, common sense solutions. Unbelievable….