The East Williston’s Board of Trustees, from my perspective, was correct in passing a moratorium on the installation of solar energy panels on its village’s homes.
Although our country is in dire need of implementing methods to capitalize upon alternative, abundant sources of energy, both for economic and availability reasons, it is prudent to examine all potential negative impacts that may result from such local, widespread implementation.
I must admit that, until recently, I was unaware of the dangers presented by solar panels installed on rooftops — residential and/or commercial.
Although a major issue involving placing solar panels on residential rooftops is their lack of aesthetic appeal and possible detraction from a neighborhood’s property values, the other major issue involves fire safety for firefighters, for neighboring homeowners, and for homeowners with rooftop-solar panels themselves.
If power could be back-fed into solar panels on rooftops of burning building could this lead to the possible electrocution of firefighters?
With solar panels on rooftops, wouldn’t it be harder and might it take much more time for firefighters to cut ventilation holes through them?
If rooftop solar panels might cause firefighters much more time to curtail a blaze, might not such a delay endanger saving the burning home and, possibly, cause more of a fire-danger to adjacent homes?
Might the additional weight of solar panels on rooftops (albeit lightweight) add to the potential for a burning building’s collapse, causing further danger to firefighters and adjacent homes?
Might not a large, flat solar panel bolted to the structure of a neighbor’s roof act like a giant sail during times of severe wind shears in our area, possibly uplifting the solar panels and sending them as airborne projectiles into adjacent structures?
In Nassau County, on June 24, 2010, we experienced a severe microburst that packed approximately 100 mph winds uprooting numerous trees and causing extensive property damage.
Let’s not forget the effects of Superstorm Sandy’s powerful winds and those of any potential, yet-to-come hurricanes.
Indeed, East Williston’s Board of Trustees, in my opinion, was wise to initiate a moratorium on the installation and application of solar panels so standards could be developed that would be appropriate for the Village of East Williston, bearing in mind both aesthetic impacts and safety impacts of such installations.
Kathy Rittel
East Williston
