Stormwater management practices, permitting, and regulations at solar sites often do not account for the unique characteristics of large-scale solar installations, according to a new Department of Energy (DOE) funded study.

Land change due to solar PV installations can differ considerably from residential and commercial development regulated by federal Clean Water Act stormwater standards. 

The study by the Great Plains Institute, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the University of Minnesota, and Fresh Energy found that key drivers of stormwater runoff were not included in regulation. Those factors include soil compaction, soil depth, ground cover establishment, and the distance between solar arrays.

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