NC lawmakers planning ahead on aging solar panels

North Carolina would have new rules for decommissioning large solar panel arrays, including a new fee to fund government oversight, under legislation moving at the statehouse.

The language was added Thursday to a separate bill forbidding local governments from banning natural gas appliances, a measure that has generated some controversy but likely has enough bipartisan support to become law.

The bill's new solar language is part of a compromise with the solar industry. The full bill moved easily through committee Thursday. It would have the state's Department of Environmental Quality draft new rules for solar facilities and require that companies assure the department they’ve set aside money to dismantle retired collection facilities, even if the company ceases to exist.

The department would work out details on the sort of financial assurances required and set a new registration fee for companies.

At a minimum, the bill states, companies would have to remove equipment from decommissioned sites within a year of shutdown, reuse or recycle components that can be reused or recycled and properly dispose of other equipment in a landfill. The land would have to be restored roughly to its condition before solar panels were installed.

Local governments and property owners who lease their land to solar companies could have more stringent requirements, the bill states.

Most of this language is also in Senate Bill 669, but Thursday it was added to House Bill 130, a measure that also forbids local governments in North Carolina from banning natural gas appliances.

That bill was already supported by the natural gas industry and by home builders who want to make sure gas stoves, water heaters and heating units continue to be used in new construction. Republican lawmakers have advanced versions of this bill in a number of states amid speculation that progressive governments might ban these appliances over environmental and health concerns with burning natural gas.

The issue has become a political flash point. and Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, vetoed the natural gas bill in 2021. This legislative session the bill has bipartisan support, though most House Democrats voted against the measure when it cleared the chamber in March.

Senate Democrats are also split on the bill, according to Sen. Mike Woodard, D-Durham, but Republicans likely hold enough legislative seats to pass the measure with or without Democratic support.

The North Carolina League of Municipalities, which lobbies at the General Assembly on behalf of cities around the state, isn't fighting the proposal.

"The legislation here is largely symbolic," League Director of Political Communication and Coordination Scott Mooneyham said in a text message. "We are aware of no city considering such a ban, and existing North Carolina law would very likely be interpreted as already prohibiting such a ban."