By Andrew Dunn, Star-News, Wilmington, N.C.

Aug. 16--Slowly but surely, alternative energy is coming to Brunswick County.

As prices come down on household solar systems, planning officials envision them sprouting up in increasing numbers.

They also see solar farms and wind turbines becoming a staple of the county's rural landscape.

And now they're getting ready for them.

Currently, the county's unified development ordinance, which governs land use, does not address alternative energy, said Helen Bunch, Brunswick County zoning administrator.

As evidenced by the rooftop solar panels in place around the county, particularly in St. James, this doesn't mean energy systems can't be built.

Bunch said the county works with homeowners to figure out how the project should be executed.

But the new rules will help residents and contractors figure out the best way to install these systems as they become more popular.

"We see this as a coming trend," Bunch said. "We want it to be clearer what the rules are."

Ordinances to address both solar and wind energy are scheduled to go before the county planning board next month. They reflect months of research by planning department staff members.

"With the Obama administration pushing green building and less reliance on oil, we felt we needed to come up to speed and be prepared for that," said planning director Leslie Bell.

The solar ordinance has two focuses: retrofitting individual homes to use solar energy and allowing solar farms. While solar panels on roofs have become well-known, less prevalent have been ground-mounted systems, often incorporated into landscaping.

Several homes in St. James have been outfitted with the ground-mounted systems, and a model home in Brunswick Forest has one as well.

Bell said several companies have shown an interest in setting up a solar farm.

And the federal government is offering support to such enterprises for the rest of the year, he said, another reason the ordinance needs to be completed soon.

"We wanted folks who thought it was a viable opportunity to take advantage of the federal grant money," he said.

While much less common, wind energy could also make inroads in the county.

Southport, Bald Head Island and areas along N.C. 133 could be good candidates for wind turbines, Bell said.

The goal would be to encourage farms to install turbines to help power their operations. The county is still trying to work out how to deal with "shadow flicker," or the rotating shadows caused by a windmill blade, how close to homes turbines could be, and what to do with turbines that are no longer in use.

Solar energy ordinances are common in some areas of the country, including the West, but are still rare in the Southeast, Bell said.

Wind ordinances have made progress in the mountain region of North Carolina, where turbines are much more controversial, said Heather Kersey, a research assistant at Appalachian State's Wind Applications Center.

Ordinances there deal mainly with height requirements, and the concerns deal with obstructing the scenic views. No turbines are now in Brunswick County, Bell said.

But solar systems are already popping up.

"It's amazing the increase in alternative energy in our area," said John Donoghue, who installs solar systems through Cape Fear Solar Systems.He has installed several in Brunswick County and said that after a few hurdles in permitting at first, the process has gotten easier.

"Brunswick County has been very, very supportive overall," he said.

Kim Sniffin is one of the early adopters. He had his St. James home equipped with a solar system a few weeks ago and said he's heard of a few more people looking at installing similar systems.

"If nothing else, fossil fuels are a finite resource, and we're going to run out," he said. "You've got to start somewhere."

Andrew Dunn: 343-2328

On Twitter.com: @Andrew_Dunn

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