Solar opponents attempt to create Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt about Utility-Scale Solar. One myth they spread claims the first step in constructing a solar farm is to “level the site” and remove all the topsoil. 

Unlike a residential, industrial and/or retail development, Utility-Scale Solar has no economic reason to “level the site”. A Solar developer must move some soil for roads, stormwater control, inverter pads, and an electrical transformer substation on an extremely small percentage of the entire solar farm. Because moving soil is expensive, a developer strives to reduce the amount of soil moved. 

Metal posts are driven into the ground in North-South lines. These posts support racking systems that hold the solar panels and the conductors that carry the electricity from the panels to inverters. Adjusting where the “racking” attaches to a post is an economical way to level a set of panels. Thus there is no value add to try and “level” the entire site. Since no concrete is used around these support posts, decommissioning simply requires removing the panels, then their metal racking system, and then pulling the posts.

Solar opponents try to make a solar farm sound like a coal strip mine. You now know there is minimal soil movement.