Solar panels are considered pervious when spaced per industry standards and follow all Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) standards.  Panel rows are spaced to accommodate future maintenance, promote sheet flow of runoff from the panels, and allow natural infiltration of runoff into the ground beneath the panels.

Surfaces being calculated as impervious are limited to the substation, foundation pilings, inverter pads, gravel and/or roadway surfaces; total impervious area on most commercial solar sites is less than 3% of the developed area.