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The nonprofit Climate United is providing $31.8 million in financing for the early stages of Scenic Hill Solar’s energy development project with the University of Arkansas, which includes developing 18 new solar projects while creating new job opportunities in the region.Climate United's funding comes from $6.97 billion provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Investment Fund. The fund supports sustainability projects and makes clean technologies more cost-effective.

What kind of hogwash is this.

So a non profit is taking funds from the EPA to fund a state solar project!!! This is what I call legal money laundering. The middle man takes an overhead cut from the federal funds to give to the state!! 😂 can’t make this stuff up!

"All these solar projects are very complex to execute,” Beth Bafford, CEO of Climate United, told TriplePundit. “This is across 18 sites, across 13 utility districts and it involves a lot of different players. So they all come with complexity, but we're excited to be working with a partner who's shown an ability to get projects done.

The project is projected to save more than $120 million in energy costs over the next 25 years. In addition, it offers environmental benefits equivalent to cutting the emissions that would be generated from driving cars for 7 billion miles.

"One of the most obvious benefits for the university is savings on electricity as well as predictable electricity pricing," said Bill Halter, CEO of Scenic Hill Solar.

Predictable pricing from solar?!?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Aside from cost savings, solar energy is proving to provide health benefits. Research shows that from 2019 to 2022, wind and solar generation provided $249 billion in climate and air quality benefits in the U.S. More specifically, the health benefits of solar energy derive from reducing harmful air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are common emissions from coal and natural gas power plants. These pollutants are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

I like solar but this article is what is wrong with the space. All this investment and fake economic impact numbers confuses laymen into thinking that solar is great. Never mind tried and true practices of energy generation that is resilient.

162 sats \ 0 replies \ @k00b 22 Jan

This reminds me of this project veritas sting with an epa advisor:

“Now it’s how to get the money out as fast as possible before they [Trump Administration] come in ... it’s like we’re on the Titanic and we’re throwing gold bars off the edge.”

“We gave them [nonprofits] the money because… it was an insurance policy against Trump winning. Because they aren’t [a government agency], they’re safer from Republicans taking the money away.”

160 sats \ 4 replies \ @Satosora 23 Jan

This is the problem. Because it is government spending, it will balloon out of control. Everyone will take their cut, and the project might even fail. Solar isnt even a clean type of energy if you consider what it takes to make solar panels. They should have put that money into making a nuclear power plant. I thought initially it was going to be in Arizona, where there is a lot of sun, but it is in Arkansas! Another bit about solar, if it was such an efficient source of energy, people would be buying it without the government subsidizing it since it would sell itself. Yet....government subsidies and government spending? fishy...

20 sats \ 3 replies \ @BlokchainB OP 23 Jan

All valid points

79 sats \ 2 replies \ @Satosora 23 Jan

Isnt the EPA a federal program? How can Arkansas be the only one benefiting from this deal?

20 sats \ 1 reply \ @BlokchainB OP 23 Jan

They are a state in the union. The people in Arkansas pay federal income taxes so naturally some of that tax revenue should be spent in the state

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Satosora 23 Jan

So they will be giving that much funding to each state?