Daily Progress article on Orange County solar deliberations

In the wake of ESA Solar pulling their application earlier in March, the Daily Progress shared an article on Orange County's solar deliberations.

March 26, 2024 article written by Emily Hemphill.

"The future of solar energy looks dim in Orange County.

Last month, the county’s planning commission voted 4-1 to recommend the board of supervisors deny a special use permit request from ESA Solar. Despite losing this critical vote and facing significant community backlash, the Maitland, Florida-based solar developer was still optimistic about its prospect in front of the board to construct a 35-acre community solar farm.

ESA’s hopes were dashed when, one week later, the board of supervisors unanimously shot down another developer’s application for a special use permit, this one for Austin, Texas-based RWE Clean Energy’s 17-acre Cunningham Springs Solar project off Monrovia Road about a quarter-mile outside the town of Orange. What made the denial all that more significant, Cunningham Springs had received the full support of the Planning Commission which had recommended the board approve the project.

To read the full article, please visit: https://dailyprogress.com/news/community/orangenews/the-future-is-dim-for-solar-developments-in-orange-county/article_80aa5a40-e7e9-11ee-8e54-53487c1362d8.html