What to Know About Solar Panels for Central Minnesotans
The state of Minnesota has plenty of solar farms and some homes have solar panels. To find out more about solar energy I was joined by St. Cloud State Professor Kenneth Miller. Miller is a professor of mechanical engineering at SCSU. He says panels aren't noisy and they can be beneficial to both companies, with solar farms and individuals that put panels on the roof of their homes.
Miller says we don't need to have sunny days for the panels to gather energy but more energy is gathered when the sun is out. He says energy can be gathered on cloudy or partly cloudy days. Miller says southwest states that get more sun generate more power than less sunny states like Minnesota. Solar panels work better to gather power in warm, dry climates which is why Colorado, Nevada and Arizona make sense.
The large solar panels on solar farms gather their energy and it goes out to the utility grid which is just like any other form of power. The cost to produce solar energy for companies is typically higher than the cost of natural gas, according to Miller. He says natural gas tends to be the cheapest form of power but solar is less expensive than coal.
Miller says if farmers choose to allow solar farms to lease their property for solar panels, he says it is typically in the contract whose responsibility it is to remove the panels when the lease expires. Miller explains it is generally the responsibility of the utility to install, maintain the remove the panels. He indicates the current solar panels that are being used have a lifespan of 20-30 years. Because solar energy and solar farms are relatively new, Miller says we don't know a lot about what happens at the end of the life of these panels.
Residents who chose to install panels on their home can receive some power benefits. Miller says the power generated can be used to power their home with the rest sent to the general power grid. He says this usually shows up as credits for that person's utility bill.
If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Professor Kenneth Miller, it is available below.
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