FAQ 

SWEB Development LP (SWEB) is a team of renewable energy professionals who are passionate about community, the environment, and shared social values. SWEB is the North American subsidiary of W.E.B, an Austrian, community-owned energy transition company. W.E.B operates a total of 266 wind energy, 43 photovoltaic, and 3 small hydroelectric power plants throughout Europe and North America. Their established nominal output of 613 MW and the produced energy of 1,532,302 MWh enable W.E.B to provide 437,800 households with electricity.

SWEB is proposing a 120 megawatt (MW) AC solar energy project in Steuben County, New York that will consist of solar panel arrays, steel mounting racks, access roads, and electrical equipment connecting the project to the utility’s grid.

In the State of New York, large-scale solar projects, which includes projects with a nameplate capacity of 25MW or more, are required to undergo a state-run permitting process. The permit will be submitted to and reviewed by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) which is a state agency that was established under New York State Executive Law Section 94-c. The purpose of the ORES is to provide a single forum tasked with reviewing and siting large-scale renewable energy projects. The Addison Solar Project will undergo a rigorous permitting process that considers all pertinent social, economic, and environmental factors.

The project is planned to be built in the Towns of Addison, Campbell and Erwin, New York. See below for a detailed site plan.

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Solar, or photovoltaic (PV), technology captures the sun’s radiation and turns it into a useful form of energy. When the sun shines onto a PV panel, energy from the sunlight is absorbed and direct current (DC) electricity begins to flow. The electricity then flows to an electrical inverter that converts DC electricity to alternating current (AC) electricity, and finally flows onto the electrical grid. ¹

Yes, all electrical components of solar panels are safely encased in glass which makes up about 76% of a typical panel. The remaining components consist of plastic polymer, aluminum, silicon, copper, silver and other metals. ²  Our solar projects incorporate panels that have been certified and tested by reputable organizations such as the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Our solar projects are designed and built to rigorous safety standards including fire safety standards in compliance with the Fire Code of New York State, the National Electrical Code (NEC), the International Building Code (IBC), and the International Fire Code (IFC). The Addison Solar Project will be completely enclosed in security fencing so that no part of the system can be accessed by the public. Additionally, training will be available to local first responders regarding access, equipment, preparedness, and response in the case of an unexpected event.

Once construction is complete, the noise generated from a solar project is generally not audible above ambient noise outside of the facility fence. ³ Noise levels during the daytime are negligible and no noise is produced at night.

Research shows that there is no evidence that solar projects have adversely impacted neighboring properties. A survey conducted at the University of Texas at Austin indicated that the “proximity to a solar installation has either no impact or a positive impact on home values.” ⁴ A study published by the University of Rhode Island found no negative impact to residential home values near solar arrays in rural areas. ⁵ A similar study examining 451 solar farms in North Carolina found that utility-scale solar farms have no direct negative or positive impacts on nearby agricultural land values. ⁶

Solar projects are typically designed to last for 25-30 years with manufacturers typically offering warranties for the first 25 years. Solar panels are typically tested to withstand high wind speeds and heavy snow loads, and many are specifically tested to ensure they can withstand hail. They require little to no maintenance and proper operations and maintenance can lead to lower degradation and offer longer performance. ⁷* The Addison Solar Project will create and adhere to an Operations and Maintenance Plan based on industry best practices.

A decommissioning and restoration plan will be put in place as part of the New York State 94-c permitting process. This plan, at a minimum, will address the safety and removal of hazardous conditions, environmental impacts, aesthetics, recycling of materials, potential future uses for the site, funding and a decommissioning schedule. As required by the 94-c permitting process, SWEB will allocate financial security to ensure the Towns and landowners are not responsible for the decommissioning and removal of the project equipment.

SWEB is committed to working with the local communities to ensure that the Addison Solar Project benefits its host communities. Feedback from the communities on the project is greatly encouraged. Please reach out to us in the following ways: Contact us directly: 404-200-5332 Attend our community engagement sessions. Details will be posted on the project website. Do you own a local business? We would love to know more about your business. SWEB uses local labor, contractors, and service providers when possible. Please use the form provided in the CONTACT section of this website to provide information about your company.