Survey Documents Landowner Feelings on Agrivoltaics in Colorado

American Farmland Trust released a research report documenting how Colorado farmers, ranchers, and landowners feel about agrivoltaic solar energy development in the state. The goal of this work is to better understand perceptions around solar energy, identify barriers to participation, and inform recommendations for future agrivoltaics research, policy, and educational resources. The data revealed a strong preference for siting utility scale solar projects on less productive or underutilized farmland rather than on highly productive or actively farmed land. The potential negative impact of solar projects on land conservation and farm productivity was of great concern. “Feedback from roundtables and survey findings clarify that producers need additional information on agrivoltaics to understand the opportunities and challenges, including soil and crop impacts, operational efficiency, and decommissioning,” said AFT Senior Manager for Smart Solar Outreach Greg Plotkin.
Related NCAT resource: AgriSolar Clearinghouse