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Receive Report and Provide Feedback on the Alameda Landfill Glare Study Report
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To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Receive Report and Provide Feedback on the Alameda Landfill Glare Study Report
BACKGROUND
Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) has identified Doolittle Landfill as one of the only feasible locations for a medium-scale local renewable energy project in Alameda. The proposed solar project would help contribute to meeting AMP’s commitment to provide 100 percent of electricity used in Alameda from clean energy sources. In addition, the project will provide $1 million dollars in fair market lease payments proposed to go towards upgrades for the surrounding bike trail and a fund to remediate the area so an open space park can ultimately be developed at the end of life of the project.
Greenway Golf requested a glare study to determine any potential glare impacts for golfers on the North Course at Corica Park. This presentation reviews the results of the glare study and provides visual renderings to show the view of the solar panels from the North Course. In addition, “story poles” were placed at the proposed solar panel location on the Doolittle Landfill. These are poles with orange markings at the top that are the same height as the proposed solar panels and provides golfers with a visual marker of how tall the panels will be and any impacts on the view from the North Course.
DISCUSSION
AMP worked with outside engineering consultants and the solar developer to produce information to help inform Greenway Golf and the golfers of any potential impacts. Two renderings from different vantage points on the golf course have been created using the proposed layout of the panels to show views of the top of the landfill both with and without panels (as shown in the presentation). A glare study was also performed to determine if there will be any impacts to the golf course. Exhibit 1 is the Executive Summary of the glare study report by Burns & McDonnell. The full detailed report is available upon request and was provided to Greenway Golf. The glare study selected a number of locations along the North Course to determine if there would be any glare impacts from the panels at any hour across the entire year. One location, marked as OP 3 on Exhibit 1 and in the presentation, is located in the north-west corner of North Course and has some glare potential for less than 25 minutes in the early morning of each day during the summer months. An example is shown in the presentation of the sun reflecting off the water when the sun is low in the sky. The glare from the panels is similar to, but less than, reflection from the water. Directly looking in line with the sun is more likely to make a person look away than the reflection below it.
The other three locations studied have no glare impacts. The glare is also substantially mitigated by the following factors:
• Mature trees along the northern fence block a substantial portion of the view of the panels in the areas where glare is possible.
• During the early morning summer hours the sun sits low in the sky in the same direction as glare from the panels and is more of a visual concern. The sun contributes 200x more energy into your eye than any potential glare.
• All glare is not created equal. Solar PV panels are designed to collect solar irradiance, not reflect. Panels reflect much less light than mirrors or water.
• The majority of Alameda mornings have substantial cloud cover which will block any glare.
For the reasons stated above we believe the proposed solar project will not notably impact golfers and ask that the Golf Commission support AMP’s efforts to bring a local renewable energy project to Alameda.
RECOMMENDATION
To hear a presentation on the glare study for solar panels proposed on top of the Alameda Doolittle Landfill and provide feedback for staff and City Council.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Alan Harbottle, Energy Resources Planner, Alameda Municipal Power
Exhibits:
1. Glare Study Executive Summary