Solar Arrays and Chesterfield County Part 5

I would like to ask a question, “Would you live under a high-voltage power line”?  I didn’t think so.  Then why would you live next to a high-voltage solar array?

Most people think of the electric lines just as conduits for the flow of electricity to their homes.  Well, people, that is not the only thing happening; another factor is at play here, called Electromagnet Fields, or EMF for short.

Electromagnet Fields are produced when electricity passes through a wire.  One example is when a magnetic field is built on an armature between permanent magnets.  This is how an electric motor turns.  And with that, the science class ends.

As voltage increases in a conductor, the strength of EMF increases proportionally.  110 and 220 are considered low voltage for your home voltage, which is open to debate if you should touch one.  The EMF field generated is common, and its area is small.

On the other hand, transmission voltage is a high-voltage situation.  The higher the voltage, the larger and more intense the EMF field.  This is why you don’t want to live under high-tension transmission lines.  But, as pointed out in part 3 of this series, the power generated by a solar array must be increased in the kilo-volt range to be transferred to the electrical grid.  So, a large EMF field exists near a solar array.

Some studies have been reported in which it was determined that exposure to EMF radiation might not be a health problem.  Now, as pointed out, the term “might not” is used.  But what if it is a health problem?  Just what one might expect to result from such exposure?  Here are a few of the issues:

Long-term exposure to elevated EMF levels has been associated with health issues such as increased risk of cancer, particularly childhood leukemia, and other potential effects on the nervous system.  Although the EMF emissions from solar panels are generally considered low, those near to a solar farm might experience prolonged exposure, which could raise concerns, especially for sensitive individuals like pregnant women and children.

Here are two more examples of what exposure to EMF near a solar array might occur:

A study in Australia found that people who live near solar farms are more likely to experience headachs, dizziness, and nausea.  There could also be an increased risk of cancer in people living near solar farms.

Some studies have shown that exposure to high-frequency radiation from solar farms can increase the risk of cancer, but more research is needed to determine whether there is a real link between solar farms and cancer.

By the way, unlike America, Australia is the leader in studying the effect of solar arrays on humans.  You have to wonder what American political leaders and the solar industry are trying to hide from us.

There also is the problem of noise pollution.  Now you might say, “What would cause noise from the generation of electricity from the sun”?  Well, here is the reason.

Moreover, inverter stations, which are essential components of solar farms that convert the generated DC electricity into AC electricity for distribution, can emit a constant humming noise during operation.  For individuals living in close proximity to these stations, this persistent noise could lead to sleep disturbances, stress, and other negative health impacts associated with noise pollution.

There is also the problem of glare from the solar arrays.  Not all of the sunlight is absorbed by the panels.  It is more than likely that more of the sunlight is reflected from the panels, thus causing them to create a glaring problem.

For residents living near a solar farm, glare can disrupt daily activities and decrease overall quality of life.  Glare may also pose risks to road safety, especially if solar panels are installed near highways or roads where drivers could be temporarily blinded, leading to accidents.  Although solar farm developers often take measures to mitigate glare, its potential impacts on health and safety should not be underestimated.

Finally, there is an effect that I find to be comical: the fact that solar arrays will increase temperatures.  Solar arrays create what is known as a “Heat Island”.  Here is a definition of this effect:

Solar panels can also contribute to heat stress and the urban heat island effect, particularly in warm climates.  The dark surfaces of the panels absorb heat, causing surrounding temperatures to rise.  This increase in temperature can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and other heat-related illnesses for people working or living nearby.  Additionally, the heat generated by solar panels can exacerbate the urban heat island effect, making cities even hotter than they already are.

A study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, found that solar panels can increase local temperatures by up to 5 degrees Celsius.  The study suggested that planting vegetation around solar panels can help reduce the heat island effect and lower surrounding temperatures.  Solar farm operators can also use reflective coatings or lighter-colored panels to minimize the amount of heat absorbed by the panels.

It mentions urban areas, but the effect will still be present in rural Chesterfield County.  To give you an idea of what you can expect regarding temperatures around a solar array.  As the reference says, temperature increases in the areas around solar arrays can be up to  5 degrees Celsius.  If it is a nice 90°F, you can expect the temperature around your solar array to be  99°F.  And a 100°F day would increase the temperature at that solar array to 109°F.  So, the device that is supposed to decrease climate warming increases temperatures!  Go figure.

I believe that I have proven that solar arrays can most definitely affect the health of humans and, in the same process, other living things that come into regular exposure to them.  These arrays are being touted as the way we should, in the future, generate the vast majority of our electricity by political forces opposed to current methods.  They don’t care what effects they have on us; they want their objectives to be met.  I believe that Chesterfield County should start protecting our citizens rather than looking at the revenues the snake oil salesmen pushing these solar arrays are promising.

In the next chapter of this series, we will look at some of those financial guarantees.