Report Finds Solar Development Has Minimal Impact on Agricultural Land Base

While utility-scale solar projects can look intimidating and raise concerns about taking land out of production, a new report from the Center for Rural Affairs found their overall impact on agricultural land use is minimal. Sifting through Solar: Land-Use Concerns on Prime Farmland reveals that if all the solar projects needed to meet federal decarbonization standards in the Midwest were built on prime farmland, it would represent just 1.45% to 2.9% of the region’s prime farmland. The report helps allay fears of land loss that have led some communities to restrict or prohibit utility-scale solar development. Author Alex Delworth hopes local, county, and state officials will consider the report’s findings as they decide the future of solar development in their area.