Smart Solar Toolkit
- Solar Siting
- Solar for Farmers, Ranchers, and Landowners
- Solar Policies and Programs
Learn about Solar Siting
Recent models indicate that preferred sites for solar energy generation—such as rooftops and brownfields—will not be enough to meet future energy needs. The siting of solar energy projects on greenfields, including productive agricultural land, will be crucial for expansion.
Smart Solar℠, a national program of American Farmland Trust, guides solar development to where it has the least negative impact on land well suited for farming, ensures that agricultural land where projects are sited can be farmed in the future, and promotes “agrivoltaics” solar projects to create opportunities for both farming and solar energy on the same land. Solar can provide landowners with reliable lease payments or revenue-share arrangements that diversify farm incomes, helping support farm viability. It can also provide opportunities to engage in agrivoltaics, allowing for agricultural production to be co-located within a solar array, directly offsetting some of the farmland loss. Review these resources to understand Smart Solar principles and how they guide solar development to protect farmland while supporting renewable energy goals. Knowing these principles helps landowners, policymakers, and developers make informed decisions that balance energy needs with agricultural viability.
Smart Solar℠
Smart Solar refers to solar projects that meet three main, equally important goals: (1) safeguarding land well-suited for farming and ranching, (2) strengthening farm viability, and (3) accelerating solar energy development. It uses the following principles to achieve these goals:
- Prioritize solar siting on buildings and land not well-suited for farming (unless agrivoltaics)
- Safeguard soils and the ability for the land to be used for agriculture
- Grow agrivoltaics for agricultural production and solar energy
- Promote equity and farm viability
Agrivoltaics
Agrivoltaics, is the intentional combination of solar energy generation and active agricultural production on the same piece of land for the whole life of a project. By installing photovoltaic panels above or among crops, or in areas used for livestock grazing, agrivoltaics allows farmers to generate renewable energy, cultivate food or raise animals, and build long-term farm viability. The design, management practices, and suitable agricultural activities that fare well in agrivoltaics dual-use situations have improved over the years. New research demonstrates that states and regions can more than meet their ambitious solar energy goals on marginal and developed land without sacrificing its productive farmland and sensitive wildlife habitat. Use these guides and tools to learn how agrivoltaics works, explore design options, and access research and technical assistance. Agrivoltaics can diversify farm income and maintain agricultural production, making it a key strategy for sustainable land use.
Solar for Farmers, Ranchers, and Landowners
Advances in solar have created additional opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and landowners. Solar leases can generate additional income for landowners. Smaller projects can generate electricity for on-farm use, reducing operating costs. Solar panels can be sited on farm buildings and less productive land to ensure that they don’t conflict with agricultural production. Increasingly, agrivoltaics designs allow solar and agriculture to be co-located. The following resources can help you learn more and decide if a solar array could support your operation while keeping your best land available for agriculture. Careful planning protects productive land, maximizes financial benefits, and ensures long-term farm viability. Explore these tools to assess energy needs, evaluate financial opportunities, and understand lease agreements before committing to solar projects.
Explore On-Farm Energy
Solar arrays vary in size and can serve different purposes. Small arrays can support on-farm energy needs, lower farm operating costs, and can more easily fit within a farm’s footprint. Larger solar arrays—shared by multiple community subscribers who receive credit on their electricity bills for their share of the power produced—may provide dependable lease income through a contract with a solar developer.
This option may not be available to you. Large-scale projects are typically located near key infrastructure, and developers proactively reach out to landowners in areas of interest. Some states and utility companies have policies on net-metering, a program through which utility companies purchase excess electricity produced on the farm beyond what the farm uses.
Learn What is Allowed
Before you begin working with a solar developer, find out what is permitted on your property. Check with local land use officials to find out if solar development is a permitted use in your zoning district. In addition, find out if there are specific dimensional requirements like setbacks and maximum lot coverage. Some communities require site plan review.
In addition, if your land is protected by an agricultural conservation easement, talk to the easement holder (typically a land trust or local or state public farmland protection program) about whether the easement permits facilities/structures to generate energy. Agricultural conservation easements are deed restrictions landowners voluntarily place on their property to protect agricultural land from development.
Assess Your Energy Needs
Take time to consider your options and what works best for your land and/or your farm business. Conducting an energy audit can help you understand your farm’s current energy use and how that may change in the future. Plan carefully to protect the best and most productive farmland. As you consider incorporating solar into your farm, be sure to look at the whole picture. Compare the cost of installing the necessary infrastructure to your anticipated energy savings and additional income if you lease land or generate excess energy. Lastly, if your land is enrolled in your state’s property tax relief program for agricultural land, often referred to as current use assessment, check with your local assessor to find out if installing a solar array affects your eligibility. If you assess your needs and plan carefully, incorporating a dual-use design can minimize farmland loss and may maintain current use assessment eligibility.
Understand Solar Leases
Solar leases present attractive opportunities for farmland and rangeland owners, but navigating them can be challenging. These leases typically last between 15 and 25 years, with the possibility of an additional extension of 5 to 10 years, offering landowners consistent lease payments. Be sure you are prepared (and have legal support) to negotiate contract terms with solar developers, prepare appropriate lease agreements, and understand the financial implications of solar on property taxes. The resources provided below aim to help landowners better understand solar leases, enabling them to make informed decisions for their operations.
Explore Agrivoltaics Technical Assistance Opportunities
There are several resources available to aid farmers, ranchers, and landowners in planning for agrivoltaic projects on their land. These programs can provide helpful information, training, and even one-on-one direct technical assistance. To learn more about agrivoltaics, use the “Solar Siting” tab for general information and resources.
Learn about Financial Opportunities and Tools
By understanding these financial opportunities and tools, landowners can make informed decisions that strengthen long-term viability and returns. This section explores the funding landscape and financial frameworks that support on-farm solar and agrivoltaic projects. These tools can provide practical budgeting and cost–benefit analysis when planning agrivoltaics projects or enterprises. There is also additional information on loan and grant programs to help fund solar on the farm.
For example, the USDA offers support for energy audits, renewable energy development assistance, efficiency improvements, and system installation. USDA Rural Development provides grants, guaranteed loans, and payments for renewable energy projects. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), administered by USDA NRCS, delivers financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices that address resource concerns and enhance soil, water, plant, animal, and air quality.
Explore Solar Policies and Programs
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