The report assesses the impact of utility-scale solar PV on farmland

As renewable energy development increases in rural areas, there are growing concerns about protecting farmland, especially from utility-scale solar projects. Many farmers oppose the development of solar energy on their land, fearing the loss of productive farmland, potential long-term soil health problems and changes to the rural landscape.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that solar energy will occupy 10.3 million acres of land nationwide by 2050, 90 percent of which will be in rural areas. To address concerns about utility-scale solar systems taking up large areas of prime agricultural land, some local and state officials have proposed and even imposed restrictions prohibiting it.

Alex Delworth, policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, said the restrictions were concerning.

“They may devastate the development of solar energy, not to mention raising questions about private property rights,” he said. “In one case, we found a county-level restriction on prime farmland that eliminated 75 percent of potentially developable land in that area.”

While utility-scale solar projects may seem intimidating amid concerns about land retirement, a new report from the Center for Rural Affairs finds that their overall impact on agricultural land use is minimal.

“Sifting” report. via Solar: Land use issues at Prime Farmlanddiscusses how to design constraints and forecasts the impact of solar investments on prime farmland in the Midwest.

The Department of Energy projects that 210 to 420 GW of solar projects will be needed in the Midwest by 2050 to meet federal decarbonization standards. According to the report, if all of the projected solar panels were built on prime agricultural land in the region, they would occupy between 1.45 and 2.9 percent.

The report also discusses potential short-term impacts in Iowa and Minnesota

Delworth said that if every acre currently proposed for solar development in Iowa were developed on agricultural land with the state’s highest grade of 14% (Corn Suitability Score of 90, or CSR and above), it would occupy 0.54% of the total acres. Moreover, the proposed solar PV installation would occupy only 0.14 percent of the 62 percent of the highest-rated agricultural land (65 CSR and above).

The projected impact on Minnesota is also minimal. If the current proposed number of acres were on prime agricultural land, it would cover less than 0.3 percent of the land, according to the report.

Delworth hopes local, county and state officials will take the report’s findings into account when deciding the future of solar development in their areas.

“Implementing regulations that favor the development of photovoltaics, rather than restricting it, will open up economic opportunities for rural residents who want to voluntarily lease their land,” the report reads. Renewable energy projects also generate tax revenue for counties, schools and emergency services, and create employment opportunities in rural areas.