Tag Archives: dust

Hamilton Solar Farm by Duke Energy at Sabal Trail pipeline

Irony: Duke Energy is building a 75 megawatt solar farm right next to the Sabal Trail pipeline, of which Duke is a 7.5% owner.

Dust no more! The same place Chris Mericle reported having a dust storm little more than a week ago, last week he discovered Duke Energy is replacing the center pivots with solar panels.

SW 69th Drive and SW 40th Avenue, At Sabal Trail pipeline
SW 69th Drive and SW 40th Avenue, in Sabal Trail path digitized by WWALS.

The little red dot near the center of the above map is where Duke Energy says this solar farm will go. The red line is the Sabal Trail pipeline, next to the power line Duke will be using for the solar electricity. How about turn off the pipeline, Duke, and put solar panels along its right of way? As I computed using Sabal Trail’s own figures three and a half years ago, half that RoW acreage could generate just as much electricity from the sun as that pipeline would ever produce, and solar panel prices have gone down since then.

Duke Energy Florida, unknown date, Hamilton Solar Plant, Continue reading

Dust storm in Hamilton County, FL 2017-10-29

Pesticide dust blew across the road between the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers just the other day:

Dust storm hiding power line pylons, On SW 69th Drive
Photo: WWALS member Chris Mericle, looking north from SW 69th Drive

Nearby resident and WWALS member Brit McClung says:

“A good portion the chemicals that are applied to that field wind up on my front porch, on me and in my lungs with the dirt.”

His land is just northeast and a church is southeast of Continue reading