Frequently Asked Questions

Vesper Energy provides innovative solutions to today’s complex energy challenges. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vesper Energy is comprised of professionals who have collectively delivered more than 10 GW of renewable energy projects globally. Today, Vesper Energy’s development pipeline includes over 55 renewable energy and energy storage assets with a generating capacity of 17 GW; enough to power more than 2 million homes. Working with their customers, communities, and business partners, Vesper Energy develops, owns, and operates renewable energy projects across the United States with the goal to build a better energy infrastructure. www.vesperenergy.com/about 

A project the size of Athens Renewable Energy will typically create approximately 200 jobs during construction, as well as contracting opportunities for local manufacturers and vendors. Once operational, the site will directly employ full-time workers and will also support additional local jobs by stimulating the local economy.

Solar energy makes for a great neighbor. It is quiet and does not produce a smell. But don’t take our word for it, see what experts in the industry are saying about solar and property values: Source - SEIA.

Athens Renewable Energy is committed to developing a vegetation management plan which adheres to state and local rules. Development of these plans would include consideration of the most appropriate plants for the area.

Athens Renewable Energy leases include decommissioning requirements on leased land. Additionally, Athens will create an overall decommissioning plan to ensure the removal of all equipment at the end of the project’s life. Once the equipment is removed, the land can be returned to its original use.

The vast majority of solar panels installed in the U.S. are still within their operational lifespans. As such, cost-effective opportunities to recycle solar panels are limited. However, this is an issue the solar industry is working proactively to address, and as more solar panels reach end of life in the coming years, opportunities to recover and recycle the materials in solar panels will expand. Details on panel recycling can be found in the United States Environmental Protection Agency website, at https://www.epa.gov/hw/solar-panel-recycling.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) use the same technology found in many widely used in consumer products, tools and electric vehicles, and well-designed BESS are safe and reliable. Fires involving BESS can occur, but only in extreme conditions. To reduce the risk of fire and ensure the safety of the system, each BESS is equipped with automatic fire suppression equipment, and its own air conditioning or cooling system to ensure it operates within the ideal temperature range. If a fire does occur, it is generally easily contained, and has only minimal, temporary impact on local air quality. Vesper Energy will work with local fire departments and emergency responders to ensure they have adequate training and equipment to respond to any safety issues that may arise.

The US EPA classifies and determines what qualifies as hazardous waste. Hazardous waste can range from liquids, solids, gases, or sludges and can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes. Recently, the US EPA released guidance requiring many types of lithium-ion batteries to be disposed of as hazardous waste. Athens Renewable Energy is committed to following pertinent federal, state, and local disposal and recycling regulations. The high-quality Li-Ion batteries used for Vesper Energy’s BESS projects can be repurposed and reused in other utility-scale battery applications or downcycled and repurposed for other technology such as phones and tools. Each Li-ion battery unit is encased and compartmentalized to prevent any materials from interacting with the surrounding area. Athens Renewable Energy is committed to following all relevant federal, state, and local regulations regarding environmental safety and will regularly review and update its policies to align with industry best practices

It is unlikely that a serious event will happen at the site. However, a comprehensive emergency management plan will be created prior to construction. This will ensure safety personnel in the community are trained and able to respond appropriately.

Widespread adoption of BESS is still relatively new, so recycling opportunities are currently limited. However, the energy storage industry is working to develop recycling opportunities to meet future demand. Another option is to “downcycle” batteries and give them a second life in a different application when their performance falls below the level needed for a utility-scale power plant.