Greenfield or brownfield: Where should solar arrays go?
In the shadows of the burned-out shell of a building that was once part of the Bethlehem Steel complex off Route 5 in Lackawanna, hundreds of solar panels are poised to begin generating green electricity once they are connected to the grid. Solar panels on a section of the former Bethlehem Steel campus in Lackawanna. For urban brownfields, like those in Lackawanna and Buffalo, solar farms are a way to bring needed resources to a site that otherwise would be difficult and costly to reuse. Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News kAm%96 56G6=@A6C 369:?5 E96 AC@;64E[ H9:49 H2D F?G6:=65 ;FDE 2 76H H666C tII@?|@3:= C67:?6CJ @? t=A=6 @7 9@H @=5 3C@H?7:6=5D 42? 36 EFC?65 :?E@ ?6H D@FC46D @7 C6?6H23=6 6?6C8J] p?5 =@42= @77:4:2=D 92G6 2AA=2F565 E96 677@CED]k^Am kAmqFE b_ >:=6D 2H2J[ 2>@?8 E96 72C> 7:6=5D @7 v6?6D66 r@F?EJ[ 2 5:776C6?E D46?2C:@ :D F?7@=5:?8]k^Am People are also reading… Feds continue to investigate company tied to man presumed dead after boat crash in Niagara River Bills trade deadline primer: Cap space update, names to consider and more Buffalo special ed teachers decry 'impossible' classroom situations and beg district for help Buffalo man charged with murder in deaths of girlfriend, newborn son 7 Bills trends to watch: Is Jordan Poyer going to earn a role on defense? Bishop suspends Genesee County priest over sexual harassment allegations Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi are back with the Bills. How soon can they help? 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D@FC46D 2?5 ?6:893@C9@@5D H9@D6 C6D:56?ED >:89E @3;64E E@ E96 D:89E] qFE E96J 2C6 DA2C<:?8 2 5:776C6?E <:?5 @7 4@?46C? @G6C =2?5 FD6]k^Am kAmu@C FC32? 3C@H?7:6=5D[ =:A=2:?D 23@FE E9:D[” D2:5 !2F= rFCC2?[ 49:67 56G6=@A>6?E @77:46C 2E D@=2C 56G6=@A6C r=62?r2A:E2=[ H9:49 ;FDE @A6?65 E96 D@=2C AC@;64E @? t=22==6C[ >@C6 4@>A=:42E65 2?5 >@C6 6IA6?D:G6 E@ 56G6=@A]k^Am kAm“xE E26?5@FD 2>@F?E @7 H@C:ED 2?5 86EE:?8 2== E96 C:89E A6@A=6 =:?65 FA]” k^Am An aerial view of the CleanCapital Elk Street solar project near the Buffalo River on a brownfield site. 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E96 DE2E6]k^Am kAmqFE ?@H[ D@>6 E96C6 2C6 2DF49 :D E@@ >F49]k^Am An aerial view of the Solar Liberty projects along Southwestern Boulevard near North Evans. Joshua Bessex/Buffalo News kAm~? ~4E] a[ E96 vtsr – E96 4@F?EJ’D :?5FDEC:2= 56G6=@A>6?E 286?4J – EFC?65 5@H? 2 C6BF6DE 3J qF772=@\32D65 $@=2C {:36CEJ 7@C Sa]h >:==:@? :? E2I 3C623C@:==:@? 2?5 H@F=5 92G6 925 E96 42A24:EJ E@ 86?6C2E6 h >682H2EED @7 6=64EC:4:EJ] r:E:?8 8C@H:?8 @AA@D:E:@? 7C@> C6D:56?ED 2?5 4@F?EJ =2H>2>F?:E:6D ?665 E@ 92G6 4@?EC@= @7 E96:C =2?5 FD6]”k^Am k9am}@E 8@33=65 FAk^9am kAmx?5FDECJ 25G@42E6D D2J E92E @?=J 2 7C24E:@? @7 E96 72C>=2?5 :D 36:?8 4@?G6CE65 E@ D@=2C] rFCC6?E=J[ E96 DE2E6 92D ;FDE f 8:82H2EED @7 D@=2C 42A24:EJ :?DE2==65[ hbT @7 H9:49 :D :? C@@7E@A @C 4@>>F?:EJ AC@;64ED[ H:E9 ?62C=J 92=7 =@42E65 :? FC32? 2C62D] %96 DE2E6’D 5C27E 6?6C8J A=2? :?4=F56D 2 =@?8\E6C> AC@;64E:@? E92E E96 DE2E6 >2J ?665 c_ E@ de 8:82H2EED @7 D@=2C 6?6C8J – FA E@ 6:89E E:>6D >@C6 E92? 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FD6 E96 D2>6 H:C6D E@ AFE A@H6C @FE E@ E96 8C:5[ C65F4:?8 E96 2>@F?E @7 :?7C2DECF4EFC6 E92E 92D E@ 86E 3F:=E]”k^Am kAmr@>>F?:EJ D@=2C 4@>A2?J v@@5 t?6C8J 3F:=E 2 a\>682H2EE AC@;64E :? E96 $E66=H@C $E66= 42>AFD[ H96C6 2 >2;@C 3=2K6 ?:?6 J62CD 28@ 56DEC@J65 2? @=5 DECF4EFC6[ 2?5 =67E 2? 6>AEJ D:E6 4@G6C65 H:E9 A2G6>6?E]k^Am Buffalo News reporter Jonathan Epstein talks about CleanCapital's ground-mounted solar farm at a brownfield site along Elk Street. kAmp?5 r=62?r2A:E2= =2DE H66>F?:EJ D@=2C 4@?DECF4E:@? 2E E96 t=A6E65 :? cb}@CE9 2?5 :D ?@H 7F?565 3J |2?F=:76 u:?2?4:2= 2?5 @E96C :?DFC6CD[ 2=D@ 92D D@=2C AC@;64ED 2E q6E9=696> $E66=]k^Am kAmqFE AFEE:?8 D@=2C @? 3C@H?7:6=5D 4@DED >@C6] x7 E96 D:E6 92D 366? C6>65:2E65 2?5 E96 8C@F?5 :D 42AA65[ E96 56G6=@A6C 42?’E 5:8 36?62E9 E92E[ H9:49 >62?D E96 >@F?ED 7@C E96 D@=2C A2?6=D >FDE 36 :?DE2==65 :? 4@?4C6E6 32==2DE 3=@46?E C2E96C E92? 3FC:65 :? E96 8C@F?5]k^Am kAm“q642FD6 E96C6’D >@C6 >2E6C:2=[ E96J 2C6 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 6IA6?D:G6 3642FD6 @7 E96 :?4C62D65 4@?4C6E6 4@DED[” v2F492E D2:5]k^Am kAmqFE v2F492E D2JD :E’D H@CE9 :E]k^Am kAm“qC@H?7:6=5D 2C6 72?E2DE:4[ 2?5 x C62==J 9@A6 E92E }6H *@C6?E @? =2?57:==D 2?5 3C@H?7:6=5D[ 3642FD6 :E’D 2 8C62E H:? 7@C A9@E@G@=E2:4D 2?5 2 8C62E C6FD6 7@C E96 AC@A6CEJ]”k^Am Reach Jonathan D. Epstein at (716) 849-4478 or jepstein@buffnews.com. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Jonathan D. Epstein News Business Reporter Author facebook Author linkedin Author twitter Author email Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Don't have an account? Sign Up Today