A recent report by the Knox County Regional Airport Authority (KCRAA) found that glare from the proposed Frasier Solar project could threaten the safety of flight and financial stability of the Knox County Airport.
“Both are now in jeopardy if the Frasier industrial solar project is permitted to move forward in its current form and locations,” wrote KCRAA Board Chair Joe Ziegman in the report.
Because of the safety and economic concerns, Ziegman called on several local officials who have not taken a stand against Fraiser Solar to speak out.
“I strongly urge The Knox County Commissioners (current & future), and Clinton Township Trustees, to join with the Mayor & City Council of Mount Vernon and all Miller Township Trustees and prevent industrial solar on farmland within a 2-mile radius of the Knox County Airport, Ohio,” he wrote.
When asked about the reception to his message, Ziegman responded, “I have not heard back from the current County Commissioners nor Clinton Township trustees. The commissioners have always supported the airport over the years, and I expect they understand the position we’re in.”
The findings in the KCRAA Board report are supported by a 2015 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) evaluation of glare as a hazard for general aviation pilots. The study found “The presence of glare was associated with the most impairment in the pilot’s ability to see their instruments and to fly their airplane when the glare was straight ahead, as well as slightly to the side.”
The FAA study found that with only five seconds of glare the ability to conduct safe flight operations becomes moderately at risk. The KCRAA Board report notes, “It takes several minutes to fly traffic patterns and/or conduct take-off and landing operations. Maximum glare risk was determined as within a zone of 2 miles.”
Frasier Solar is within the zone of concern. This is why the “KCRAA Board unanimously passed a resolution in April against the proposed Frasier industrial solar project in its current form and locations and submitted to the Ohio Power Siting Board for urgent consideration. It is our duty, and we will always side regarding the safety of flight,” the board said in the report.
More than 800 residents have shown up to three recent public hearings on Frasier Solar held by the Ohio Power Siting Board in Mount Vernon. Most speakers at the meetings have been in opposition.
One of the attendees, Teresa Peters, pointed out numerous reasons why solar on prime farm land is a bad idea. Her concerns include taking away food from humans and animals, concerns about safety for humans and the environment, and the decrease in home values in the areas near the solar farms.
“I can go on for plenty more reasons why industrial solar on farm ground is a ridiculous idea,” she said.
Many areas of Ohio are struggling with similar problems. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, through June of 2023 there were 1.38 megawatts of solar generation installed in Ohio, representing an investment of more than $2 billion. Ohio ranks 22 n the nation for installed solar generation, up from 32 last year.
Solar fields have already negatively impacted Wyandotte Airport in Upper Sandusky. According to the KCRAA report, the airport “has experienced significant thermal variations directly over similar solar fields within their air traffic patterns during hot sunny days – which can lead to additional turbulence during low level flight operations in the airport operations area. Regionally based student pilots now avoid this airport for this reason.”
Student pilots currently conduct many of the 24,000 annual flight operations out of the Knox County Airport.
