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Smart Solar Siting: Developing
Solar Energy Projects on
Agricultural Lands
Jimmy Daukas
NACD Annual Meeting
February 4, 2019
Importance of Agriculture
Increasing Competition for Land
1.5M Acres Lost per Year
Opportunity for Farmers and Landowners
Expanding solar energy…beware of
unintended consequences
Source: aecon.com. Landowners need to do background research before entering into a solar energy lease.
June 15, 2016 Ashley Ellixson and Paul Goeringer
Issue Across the Nation;
Districts Can Play Key Role
Smart Solar Siting
▪ Maximize potential for solar while minimizing
impact on most productive farmland
▪ Guide siting to land w/ least impact on ag & env
Smart Solar Siting Guidelines for
Local Land Use Policies
1. Include a Statement of Purpose
2. Avoid the Term “Solar Farm”
3. Define Important Local Farmland to Protect
4. Define Different Sizes and Approval Processes for Different Scales: Small vs. Large
5. Permit Renewable Energy for On Farm Use
Smart Solar Siting Guidelines for
Local Land Use Policies
5. Prioritize Siting on Unproductive Land and Previously Disturbed Areas
6. Require Developers to Follow Construction and Decommissioning Guidelines to Protect Soil Health Active Agricultural Use for the Future
7. Encourage Dual Use/Collocation of PV solar with Active Farming
Dual Use: Solar Panels and
Active Agriculture
Smart Solar Siting Activities
• Map the land w/ multi-stakeholders
• Identify best practices and share info
• Train local entities
• Research dual use
• Create coalition
• Advocate policies
• Communicate
win-win
www.farmland.org/solar
Impact on Soil Health and Site
Preparation
❑ American Farmland Trust www.farmland.org
❑ AFT Smart Solar Siting www.farmland.org/solar
❑ Jimmy Daukas, [email protected]
NO FARMS NO FOOD
Local Zoning which Permits Large Scale
Solar while Protecting Farmland
AFT Projects