At a town meeting in Falmouth, Massachusetts, voters approved a large-scale solar project on what is currently a country club golf course.
As The Enterprise reported, the town board will accept approximately 140 acres from the New Cape Cod Country Club and then lease 82 acres to the developer, PureSky Energy.
PureSky plans to install over 43,000 solar panels on the land. The board will set aside the remaining 55 acres for conservation.
This is encouraging news because it replaces a resource-intensive golf course with opportunities for clean energy production and environmental conservation. Though there was some public opposition, the solar plan was passed with a vote of 174 to 31.
This project will be one of the largest solar arrays in the state. It will generate approximately 29,000 megawatt-hours of energy annually, enough to make up 7% of the county’s electricity use.
Meanwhile, the old golf course land that isn’t occupied by solar panels will offer walking trails, open fields, and a sledding hill.
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This is one of many inspiring examples of water-hungry golf courses being transformed into valuable natural spaces with environmental benefits.
In addition to requiring vast amounts of water, golf clubs are also notorious for being covered in pesticides and destroying habitats with toxic chemicals. By turning these wasteful recreational lands into solar farms and wildlife habitats, we contribute to more sustainable communities.
If you are interested in taking local action to promote a golf course transformation in your community, contact your elected officials and launch a public awareness campaign.
Manjoor Vahora, project developer for PureSky, described the solar project as a “win for Falmouth, its residents, the environment, and our shared clean energy future.”
“We are partnering closely with the Town of Falmouth to ensure this land continues to serve the community by generating renewable energy, reducing pollution, advancing the town’s climate goals, and expanding public access through new and restored conservation areas,” Vahora told Boston.com in a statement.
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