While President Trump is trashing solar power, the County of Santa Barbara is planning to make it easier to permit utility scale solar power in the unincorporated areas of the county.
CNBC reports that Trump said in a social media post Wednesday that states that rely on wind or solar power are seeing increased energy prices, and that it’s “the scam of the century.” He added that “We will not approve wind or farmer destroying solar. The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!!”
That has led investors in companies that work to provide solar and wind energy like Sunrun and First Solar to sell shares this week.
But in sunny Santa Barbara County planners are looking to make it easier to build utility-scale solar projects that generate electricity for sale, to be built in the rural environs of the county
The plan will get a hearing October 3 at 5 PM. Critics complain that the current rule makes it more difficult to generate solar power for sale in all zoning areas of the county.It would also streamline permitting for smaller solar energy systems in the unincorporated County. The Utility‐Scale Solar Amendments Project would update multiple County land use plans and zoning ordinances to facilitate the development of utility‐scale and community‐scale solar energy facilities and streamline the permitting of smaller rooftop and ground‐ mounted systems.
It would remove the current 600‐acre utility‐scale overlay
restriction, and clarify the permitting allowances for battery energy storage systems.instead it would allow utility-scale solar projects with Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) on various zoned lands throughout the unincorporated county.
California like Santa Barbara remains a champion of solar power where it has attracted
billions in local investment. California has over 49,000 MW of installed capacity and solar supplies more than 31 percent of California’s electricity today, but it must play a bigger role if the state is to reach climate and energy goals.